Synthesis of TiH^sub 2^ nanopowder via the Guen-Miller Flow-Levitation method and characterization

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 778; p. 271
• Main Authors: Leipunsky, IO, Zhigach, AN, Kuskov, ML, Berezkina, NG, Afanasenkova, ES, Kudrov, BV, Lopez, GW, Vorobjeva, GA, Naumkin, AV
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier BV 25.03.2019
• Subjects: Electrons; Hydrides; Hydrogen; Hydrogen storage; Levitation; Photoelectrons; Recovery; Structural analysis; Synthesis; Titanium; Titanium compounds; Transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2018.11.088

Stoichiometric TiH2 nano-crystalline powder with particle mean size of less than 30 nm was synthesized for the first time via the Guen-Miller Flow-Levitation method. Details of the method are explained, and characterization of the synthesized TiH2 nanopowder is performed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron and X-ray diffraction analyses and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Particle structure analysis confirms the capability and versatility of the Guen-Miller method to synthesize high-grade nano-scaled stoichiometric titanium hydride powder. Hydrogen recovery analyses are conducted and compared to hydrogen recovery from commercial-grade titanium hydride powder. Thermal and mass-spectrometry analyses on the synthesized nanopowder shows that hydrogen recovery starts at 390 °C and peaks at 460 °C, which lowers the energy demand during the process. These temperatures and the energy demand are substantially lower than the required in hydrogen recovery from conventional micro-sized commercial-grade titanium hydride. The results confirm that stoichiometric nano-scaled titanium hydride powder synthesized via the Guen-Miller Flow Levitation method possesses desirable characteristics for hydrogen storage and recovery.