Study of Aluminoborane Compound AlB4H11 for Hydrogen Storage

Aluminoborane compounds AlB_4H_(11), AlB_5H_(12), and AlB_6H_(13) were reported by Himpsl and Bond in 1981, but they have eluded the attention of the worldwide hydrogen storage research community for more than a quarter of a century. These aluminoborane compounds have very attractive properties for hydrogen storage: high hydrogen capacity (i.e., 13.5, 12.9, and 12.4 wt % H, respectively) and attractive hydrogen desorption temperature (i.e., AlB_4H_(11) decomposes at ~125 °C). We have synthesized AlB_4H_(11) and studied its thermal desorption behavior using temperature-programmed desorption with mass spectrometry, gas volumetric (Sieverts) measurement, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Rehydrogenation of hydrogen-desorbed products was performed and encouraging evidence of at least partial reversibility for hydrogenation at relatively mild conditions is observed. Our chemical analysis indicates that the formula for the compound is closer to AlB_4H_(12) than AlB_4H_(11).