Amelioration of Hydrogen Uptake and Release Features of Magnesium Adding a Polymer Polyvinylidene Fluoride via Milling in Hydrogen in a Planetary Ball Mill

Abstract

In the present study, a polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) was chosen as an adding material to ameliorate hydrogen uptake and release features of Mg. Samples with a composition of 95 wt.% Mg+5 wt.% PVDF (called 95Mg + 5PVDF) were made via milling in hydrogen atmosphere in a planetary ball mill (reactive planetary ball milling). The hydrogen release reaction of magnesium hydride formed in the as-prepared 95Mg+5PVDF during reactive planetary ball milling started at 681 K. In the third cycle (CN = 3), the amount of hydrogen absorbed for 60 min, A (60 min), was 3.44 wt.% hydrogen at 573 K in 12 bar hydrogen. The PVDF is believed to have melted during reactive planetary ball milling, and the sliding or lubrication between Mg particles and hardened steel balls was avoided, leading to a good contact between them and a highly effective milling. The milling in hydrogen atmosphere in a planetary ball mill of Mg with PVDF is believed to have generated defects and cracks. The Mg2C3 produced from PVDF during hydrogen uptake-release cycling is believed to have been spread among particles and to have kept particles from coalescing. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use a polymer PVDF as an additive material for the amelioration of hydrogen uptake and release features of Mg.