Hydrogen storage in complex metal hydrides

Abstract

Complex metal hydrides such as sodium aluminohydride (NaAlH4) and sodium borohydride (NaBH4) are solid-state hydrogen-storage materials with high hydrogen capacities. They can be used in combination with fuel cells as a hydrogen source thus enabling longer operation times compared with classical metal hydrides. The most important point for a wide application of these materials is the reversibility under moderate technical conditions. At present, only NaAlH4 has favorable thermodynamic properties and can be employed as a thermally reversible means of hydrogen storage. By contrast, NaBH4 is a typical non-reversible complex metal hydride; it reacts with water to produce hydrogen.