Nano-engineering approach to destabilization of magnesium hydride (MgH2) by solid-state reaction with Si

We studied a possibility of destabilization of MgH2 by chemical reaction with Si by using a nano-engineering method for reducing diffusion distances and increasing surface area. The structure, morphology, chemical composition and dehydriding properties were investigated by XRD, SEM, EDS, DTA-TG and the volumetric Sievert method. The commercial MgH2 and Si powder mixture corresponded to the stoichiometry of the ideal Mg2Si intermetallic compound was ball-milled under argon atmosphere to reach a nanocrystalline composite structure (< 50 nm). The ball-milling of the MgH2-Si mixture leads to the formation only a small amount of the Mg2Si compound. Microstructural studies showed that Si after ball-milling is heterogeneously distributed on the surface of MgH2 particles and incorporated in the nanocrystalline MgH2 matrix, forming a nanocomposite structure. The sluggish destabilization of MgH2 by solid-state reaction with Si forming the Mg2Si intermetallic compound was observed at 250 degrees C. The XRD and EDS analysis confirmed that the Mg2Si compound is formed after the dehydrogenation of the synthesized MgH2-Si composite. The activation energy of the destabilization reaction for the investigated composite significantly decreased (162 kJ/mol) as compared with unmilled MgH2-Si powder mixture (213 kJ/mol).