Mcgill University

Hydro-quebec

Other

Hydro-quabac

Zaluska, Alicja

Zaluski, Leszek

Leszek Zaluski

John O Strom-Olsen

Alicja Zaluska

Robert Schulz

John Olaf Str&ouml;m-Olsen

Sabin Boily

Jacques Huot

Compositions are described for catalyzing or facilitating hydrogen transfer kinetics in various kinds of chemical reactions that depend on the efficiency of hydrogen relocation or exchange. One such composition has the formula M-H-E, where M is a metal, metalloid, alloy of a metal, alloy of a metalloid, compound of a metal or compound of a metalloid, H is hydrogen and E is an electronegative element. Another such composition is a hydrogen storage composition that includes the catalytic composition having the formula M-H-E and a hydride or a material capable of absorbing hydrogen to form a hydride.

Type of catalytic materials based on active metal-hydrogen-electronegative element complexes involving hydrogen transfer

Hydrogen storage compositions which liberate hydrogen readily and which are readily regenerated from a dehydrogenated state formed by liberation of hydrogen are derived from an AlH -based complex hydride incorporating a member selected from a metalloid such as B, C, Si, P and S, a metal such as Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo, Zn, Ga, In and Sn, a metal which forms a stable hydride such as Be, Mg, Ca, Ti, V, Y, Zr and La and a second AlH -based complex hydride.

Reversible hydrogen storage composition

A hydrogen storage composition has a hydrogenated state and a dehydrogenated state; the hydrogenated state comprises a hydrided composition of lithium and an element M which forms a hydride, for example Be or Mg, an element E which forms a compound or solid solution with lithium, e.g. C, B or Zn, or a mixture thereof; there are thus provided reversible Li-based hydrides of high hydrogen capacity.

Li-based hydrogen storage composition

A hydrogen storage composition has a hydrogenated state and a dehydrogenated state; in the hydrogenated state the composition comprises a metallic hydride having a metallic component which reversibly forms the hydride and a metallic heat transfer medium in intimate contact with the hydride which transfers heat to the hydride for dehydrogenation; in use hydrogen is liberated from the composition with transfer of heat to the heat transfer medium, the hydrogenated state may be regenerated by exposing the composition in a dehydrogenated state to hydrogen gas. In this way a source of hydrogen gas is provided which source may be regenerated.

Hydrogen storage composition

A power of an alloy of Ni and Mg, La, Be or Li, consisting of crystallites having a grain size lower than 100 nm and a crystalline structure allowing hydrogen absorption. This powder which is preferably obtained by mechanical grinding, may consist of cristallites of Mg,Ni, LaNi,or of Ni-based alloys of Be or Li having a grain size lower than 100 nm. The powder may also consist of cristallites of formula Mg,Ni,, x ranging from &minus;0.3 to &plus;0.3, which have a grain size lower than 100 nm, and preferably lower than 30 nm. This crystalline powder is particularly useful for storing and transporting hydrogen. Indeed, it has been discovered that such Ni-based nanocrystalline powder requires no or only one single activation treatment at low temperature to absorb hydrogen. It has also been discovered that the kinetic of absorption and diffusion of hydrogen within the powder is much faster. This can be explained by the presence of a large number of grain boundaries.

Nanocrystalline Ni-based alloys

Novel hydrides are produced by mechanically alloying at least two different hydrides, preferably at least one simple alkali metal hydride and at least one complex alkali metal hydride such as an alkali metal aluminum hydride; the method of production is simple and can be carried out at room temperature; the novel hydrides are useful as a source of hydrogen and have the particular advantage that after liberation of the hydrogen, the hydride is readily regenerated from the dehydrogenated hydride.

Method of fabrication of complex alkali metal hydrides

Disclosed is a method for inducing desorption of hydrogen for a metal hydride by applying thereto sufficient energy to induce hydrogen desorption by endothermic reaction. The energy that is so-applied is non-thermal and selected from the group consisting of mechanical energy, ultrasonic energy, microwave energy, electric energy, chemical energy and radiation energy.

Method for inducing hydrogen desorption from a metal hydride

A powder of an alloy of Ni and Mg, La, Be or Li, consisting of crystallites having a grain size lower than 100 nm and a crystalline structure allowing hydrogen absorption. This powder which is preferably obtained by mechanical grinding, may consist of cristallites of Mg.sub.2 Ni, LaNi.sub.5 or of Ni-based alloys of Be or Li having a grain size lower than 100 nm. The powder may also consist of cristallites of formula Mg.sub.2-x Ni.sub.1+x, x ranging from -0.3 to +0.3, which have a grain size lower than 100 nm, and preferably lower than 30 nm. This crystalline powder is particularly useful for storing and transporting hydrogen. Indeed, it has been discovered that such Ni-based nanocrystalline powder requires no or only one single activation treatment at low temperature to absorb hydrogen. It has also been discovered that the kinetic of absorption and diffusion of hydrogen within the powder is much faster. This can be explained by the presence of a large number of grain boundaries.

Disclosed is a very light-weight, Mg and Be-based material which has the ability to reversibly store hydrogen with very good kinetics. This material is of the formula (M.sub.1-x A.sub.x) D.sub.y wherein M is Mg, Be or a combination of them; A is an element selected from the group consisting of Li, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Al, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, In, Sn, O, Si, B, C and F; D is a metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt (preferably Pd); x is a number ranging from 0 to 0.3; and y is a number ranging from 0 to 0.15. This material is in the form of a powder of particles of the formula M.sub.1-x A.sub.x as defined hereinabove, having an average size ranging from 0.1 to 100 .mu.m, each particle consisting of nanocrystalline grains having an average size of 3 to 100 nm or having a nano-layered structure with a layer spacing of 3 to 100 nm. Some of these particles have clusters of metal D attached thereto, with an average size ranging from 2 to 200 nm. Also disclosed are a process for preparing this material which has a very high hydrogen absorption capacity, and a method of use of the same for the transportation and/or storage of hydrogen and/or the storage of thermal energy.

Nanocrystalline Mg or Be-based materials and use thereof for the

Disclosed is a nanocrystalline composite useful for hydrogen storage, which provides optimum hydrogenation conditions along with high hydrogen storage capacity. This composite is the combination of at least one high temperature metal hydride such as Mg or Mg.sub.2 Ni, which has a high hydrogen storage capacity by weight but requires high temperatures for hydrogen absorption and desorption, with at least one low temperature metal hydride such as FeTi, LaNi.sub.5, Nb, Mn or Pd, which has a low hydrogen storage capacity by weight but does not require high temperatures for hydrogen absorption and desorption. The high and low temperature metal hydrides are in direct contact with each other and each in the form of a nanocrystalline powder or layer. This composite is particularly useful as a hydrogen supply source for hydrogen-fueled vehicles.

Growing community of inventors

Montreal, Canada

Leszek Zaluski