HNEI Assistant Researcher, Dr. Godwin Severa, is featured on the ChemPhysChem journal cover for his publication “Kinetic Enhancement of Direct Hydrogenation of MgB2 to Mg(BH4)2 upon Mechanical Milling with THF, MgH2, and/or Mg“. This research was funded by the Department of Energy and conducted in collaboration with Department of Chemistry and the HYMARC Consortium. The paper was designated as a Very Important Paper and is included in the journal’s October 2019 issue (http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cphc.201801187).
Hydrogen storage remains one of the great challenges limiting the widespread availability of hydrogen PEM fuel cell technology for automobile and unmanned vehicles. The magnesium boride, MgB2 to magnesium borohydride, Mg(BH4)2 system is one of the few reversible materials with potential to meet all the fuel cell vehicle requirements but is limited by poor kinetics of hydrogen release at optimum conditions.
This study improved upon the hydrogenation conditions of MgB2 to Mg(BH4)2 through modification of the MgB2, by mechanical milling with additives, resulting in a 300 bar and 100°C reduction in hydrogenation conditions compared to previous state of art while still achieving ~54–71% conversion to the borohydride. The discovery of such a form of modified magnesium boride presents an important step towards development of a practical hydrogen storage system.
Additionally, this paper was featured on the ChemistryView website at https://www.chemistryviews.org/ details/ezine/11176866/Improving_Hydrogen_Release_under_Fuel-Cell_Conditions.html.
