Method for alkali hydride formation and materials for hydrogen storage

• US 20030113252A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Original Assignee: National University of Singapore
• Inventors: Chen, Ping, Lin, Jianyi, Xiong, Zhitao, Luo, Jizhong
• Application Number:
  US10/286,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20030113252A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 423/414
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/001 characterised by the uptaking medium; Treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0021 Carbon, e.g. active carbon, carbon nanotubes, fullerenes; Treatment thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0078 Composite solid storage mediums, i.e. coherent or loose mixtures of different solid constituents, chemically or structurally heterogeneous solid masses, coated solids or solids having a chemically modified surface region
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/22 Intercalation
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/021 Physical characteristics, e.g. porosity, surface area
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/583 Carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04216 characterised by the choice for a specific material, e.g. carbon, hydride, absorbent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

Alkali metal-carbon compounds may be formed by mixing an alkali metal with carbon. Such alkali metal-carbon compounds absorb hydrogen at lower temperatures and may be useful as hydrogen storage materials in various applications, such as in hydrogen fuel cells.

Claims

1. A method for synthesis of an alkali hydride comprising adding carbon into an alkali metal to form an alkali-C compound of the alkali metal, then exposing the alkali-C compound to a hydrogen containing atmosphere at a temperature from 25 to 600°

C. and a pressure of 0.1 to 100 atms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkali metal is lithium or potassium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the carbon is in the form of graphite, carbon powder, carbon fibres, carbon nanotubes, a fullerene, or activated carbon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkali-C compound is an alkali-C intercalated compound with formula of LiC₆, LiC₁₂, LiC₂₄, KC₈ or KC₂₄.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the alkali-C intercalated compound is formed by pounding carbon with alkali metal under inert gas atmosphere then pressed into pellets under pressure from 1 atm to 10000 atms.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inert gas is Ar or He or a mixture of them.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkali metal and the carbon are in a molar ratio of from 5000/1 to 1/200.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the molar ratio is from 500/1 to 1/24.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the alkali metal and the carbon are in a molar ratio is from 5000/1 to 1/200.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the molar ratio is from 500/1 to 1/24.

9. A method for storing hydrogen comprising exposing a solid sorbent comprising an alkali metal-carbon-based material to a hydrogen atmosphere at temperature of from 25 to 700°

C. under 0.1 to 100 atms pressure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the metal is lithium or potassium.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the carbon is in the form of graphite, carbon powder, carbon fibres, carbon nanotubes, a fullerene or activated carbon.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein carbon is pounded with alkali metal in an inert gas atmosphere then pressed into pellets under pressure from 1 atm to 10000 atms to form an alkali-C absorbent.