The dehydrogenation of combined organic and inorganic hydrogen-storage carriers

Abstract

A thermally balanced H2 storage system can be created by combining an H2 carrier that releases H2 endothermically with one that releases H2 exothermically. Here, we describe combinations of H2 carriers wherein both carriers release H2 by dehydrogenation rather than by hydrolysis. The endothermic carriers tested were heterocyclic organic liquids, while the exothermic carriers were amine-borane compounds. The options of having the two carriers chemically bound together or merely physically mixed together were explored. With both options, the exothermic carrier inhibited the endothermic carrier, either by chemically affecting the heterocyclic ring of the endothermic carrier or by decreasing the activity of the heterogeneous dehydrogenation catalyst.