Hydrogenation Properties of Mg_83.3Cu_7.2Y_9.5 with Long Period Stacking Ordered Structure and Formation of Polymorphic...

Nanosizing is known to affect the hydrogenation properties of magnesium. For this reason, the long period stacking ordered (LPSO) structures, made of the stacking of nanolayers of magnesium and nanolayers of Mg-A-B (with A = rare earth and B = transition metal), were herein considered. A Mg_83.3Cu_7.2Y_9.5 LPSO compound with 18R structure was successfully synthesized. Its hydrogenation properties were investigated at temperatures between 150 and 400 °C. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicates that the LPSO structure decomposes into magnesium hydride, yttrium hydride, and an intermetallic compound (Mg₂Cu or MgCu₂). The pressure composition (PC) isotherm for Mg_83.3Cu_7.2Y_9.5 at 400 °C combined with XRD analysis allows one to understand the three-step hydrogenation pathway, detailed in this paper. At this hydrogenation temperature, the fully hydrogenated compound contains magnesium hydride exclusively crystallized in the most stable tetragonal structure (100% of α-MgH₂ was formed). When the pristine LPSO was hydrogenated at lower temperature, the amount of α-MgH₂ decreased, while its polymorphic structure, γ-MgH₂, appeared. Finally, hydrogenation of Mg_83.3Cu_7.2Y_9.5 at 150 °C led to the formation of γ-MgH₂ with a high phase fraction (82% of γ-MgH₂/MgH₂). These results suggest that the crystallographic structure of the magnesium hydride can be controlled by the hydrogenation temperature of LPSO compounds.