Investigation of single-walled carbon nanotubes-titanium metal composite as a possible hydrogen storage medium

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy 2013-11, Vol.38 (34), p.14654-14660
• Main Authors: Silambarasan, D., Surya, V.J., Vasu, V., Iyakutti, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Atomic force microscopy; Binding energy; Desorption temperature; Electron beam evaporation; Energy; Evaporation; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Hydrogen; Hydrogen storage; Hydrogen-based energy; Scanning electron microscopy; SWCNTs-Ti Composite; Tablets; Titanium; Uptakes
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.09.009

The present experimental work deals with the investigation of hydrogen uptake study of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-Ti)-titanium metal composite. The mixture containing SWCNTs and Ti powder is made into tablet by cold pressing. The composite has been prepared and hydrogenated by evaporating the tablet in hydrogen ambient on glass substrates using electron beam (EB) evaporation technique. Efficient hydrogen uptake of 4.74 wt.% is achieved with the composite and the adsorbed hydrogen posses the average hydrogen binding energy of 0.4 eV. The obtained hydrogen uptake is due to the cumulative adsorption of hydrogen by CNTs and Ti nanostructured materials. The physical properties are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction study (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and Raman analysis. Hydrogenation and dehydrogenation behavior of the composite are studied using CHN-elemental analysis and thermo gravimetric/thermal desorption spectroscopy (TG/TDS) studies, respectively. The stored hydrogen is found to be 100% reversible in the temperature range of 160–310 °C. •Hydrogen storage in SWCNTs-Ti composite made by EB technique is a new attempt.•Hydrogen storage has been done during the preparation of storage medium itself.•The storage capacity is found to be 4.74 wt.% and the system is stable at RT.•The system exhibits 100% desorption in the temperature range of 160–310 °C.•Nature of hydrogen binding on the composite is found to be weak chemisorption.