Solvothermal synthesis of 3D BiOCl microstructures and their electrochemical hydrogen storage behavior

Bi-based layered materials, at present, serve as the potential candidates for the application of hydrogen storage. In our study, several 3D BiOCl microstructures, such as 2500 nm peonies, 1000 nm ball-flowers, and 3000 nm rough spheres are selectively and solvothermally prepared at 180 degrees C. These microstructures are composed of nanoplate with size of -1000 nm, -300 nm and -200 nm, respectively, the growth surface of which are all (001). Electrochemical hydrogen storage capacities of these microstructures are investigated in Ni/H battery model. It is found that rough spheres could store 0.52 wt% hydrogen related to a discharge capacity of 140 mAh x g(-1) at a current density of 50 mA x g(-1). The hydrogen storage of ball-flowers and peonies is 0.49 wt% (133 mAh x g(-1)) and 0.32 wt% (85 mAh x g(-1)). Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface areas of rough spheres, ball-flowers and peonies are 35.0 m2 x g(-1), 33.7 m2 x g(-1), and 19.2 m2 x g(-1), respectively. In addition, the hydrogen storage study of BiOCI microstructure composed of nanoplates with exposed facet perpendicular to [221] axis indicates that hydrogen enters into the interlayer.