Borohydrides: from sheet to framework topologies

Complex Hydrides for Energy Storage, Conversion, and Utilization

Functional materials are the key enabling factor in the development of clean energy technologies. Materials of particular interest, which are reviewed herein, are a class of hydrogenous compound having the general formula of M(XH_n )_m , where M is usually a metal cation and X can be Al, B, C, N, O, transition metal (TM), or a mixture of them, which sets up an iono-covalent or covalent bonding with H. M(XH_n )_m is generally termed as a complex hydride by the hydrogen storage community. The rich chemistry between H and B/C/N/O/Al/TM allows complex hydrides of diverse composition and electronic configuration, and thus tunable physical and chemical properties, for applications in hydrogen storage, thermal energy storage, ion conduction in electrochemical devices, and catalysis in fuel processing. The recent progress is reviewed here and strategic approaches for the design and optimization of complex hydrides for the abovementioned applications are highlighted.

Mechanochemistry of Metal Hydrides: Recent Advances

This paper is a collection of selected contributions of the 1st International Workshop on Mechanochemistry of Metal Hydrides that was held in Oslo in May 2018. In this paper, the recent developments in the use of mechanochemistry to synthesize and modify metal hydrides are reviewed. A special emphasis is made on new techniques beside the traditional way of ball milling. High energy milling, ball milling under hydrogen reactive gas, cryomilling and severe plastic deformation techniques such as High-Pressure Torsion (HPT), Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment (SMAT) and cold rolling are discussed. The new characterization method of in-situ X-ray diffraction during milling is described.

Exploring Ternary and Quaternary Mixtures in the LiBH4 -NaBH4 -KBH4 -Mg(BH4 )2 -Ca(BH4 )2 System

Binary combinations of borohydrides have been extensivly investigated evidencing the formation of eutectics, bimetallic compounds or solid solutions. In this paper, the investigation has been extended to ternary and quaternary systems in the LiBH₄ -NaBH₄ -KBH₄ -Mg(BH₄ )₂ -Ca(BH₄ )₂ system. Possible interactions among borohydrides in equimolar composition has been explored by mechanochemical treatment. The obtained phases were analysed by X-ray diffraction and the thermal behaviour of the mixtures were analysed by HP-DSC and DTA, defining temperature of transitions and decomposition reactions. The release of hydrogen was detected by MS, showing the role of the presence of solid solutions and multi-cation compounds on the hydrogen desorption reactions. The presence of LiBH₄ generally promotes the release of H₂ at about 200 °C, while KCa(BH₄ )₃ promotes the release in a single-step reaction at higher temperatures.

Metal borohydrides and derivatives – synthesis, structure and properties

A comprehensive review of metal borohydrides from synthesis to application.

Organic derivatives of Mg(BH4)2 as precursors towards MgB2 and novel inorganic mixed-cation borohydrides

A series of organic derivatives of magnesium borohydride, including Mg(BH4)2·1.5DME (DME = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) and Mg(BH4)2·3THF (THF = tetrahydrofuran) solvates and three mixed-cation borohydrides, [Cat]2[Mg(BH4)4], [Cat] = [Me4N], [nBu4N], [Ph4P], have been characterized. The phosphonium derivative has been tested as a precursor for synthesis of inorganic mixed-metal borohydrides of magnesium, Mx[Mg(BH4)2+x], M = Li-Cs, via a metathetic method. The synthetic procedure has yielded two new derivatives of heavier alkali metals M3Mg(BH4)5 (M = Rb, Cs) mixed with amorphous Mg(BH4)2. Thermal decomposition has been studied for both the organic and inorganic magnesium borohydride derivatives. Amorphous MgB2 has been detected among the products of the thermal decomposition of the solvates studied, together with organic and inorganic impurities.

The crystal chemistry of inorganic metal borohydrides and their relation to metal oxides

The crystal structures of inorganic homoleptic metal borohydrides are analysed with respect to their structural prototypes found amongst metal oxides in the inorganic databases such as Pearson's Crystal Data [Villars & Cenzual (2015). Pearson's Crystal Data. Crystal Structure Database for Inorganic Compounds, Release 2014/2015, ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio, USA]. The coordination polyhedra around the cations and the borohydride anion are determined, and constitute the basis of the structural systematics underlying metal borohydride chemistry in various frameworks and variants of ionic packing, including complex anions and the packing of neutral molecules in the crystal. Underlying nets are determined by topology analysis using the program TOPOS [Blatov (2006). IUCr CompComm. Newsl. 7, 4-38]. It is found that the Pauling rules for ionic crystals apply to all non-molecular borohydride crystal structures, and that the latter can often be derived by simple deformation of the close-packed anionic lattices c.c.p. and h.c.p., by partially removing anions and filling tetrahedral or octahedral sites. The deviation from an ideal close packing is facilitated in metal borohydrides with respect to the oxide due to geometrical and electronic considerations of the BH4(-) anion (tetrahedral shape, polarizability). This review on crystal chemistry of borohydrides and their similarity to oxides is a contribution which should serve materials engineers as a roadmap to design new materials, synthetic chemists in their search for promising compounds to be prepared, and materials scientists in understanding the properties of novel materials.

Manganese borohydride; synthesis and characterization

Three manganese borohydride polymorphs are synthesized in solution and found to be structural analogues of three magnesium borohydride polymorphs.

Flux-assisted single crystal growth and heteroepitaxy of perovskite-type mixed-metal borohydrides

Single crystals of mixed-metal perovskite-type borohydride KCa(BH₄)₃ are prepared by using an easily generalized flux melting procedure based on eutectic borohydride systems.

Role of the Li+node in the Li-BH4substructure of double-cation tetrahydroborates

The phase diagram LiBH4–ABH4(A= Rb,Cs) has been screened and revealed ten new compounds LiiAj(BH4)i+j(A= Rb, Cs), withi,jranging between 1 and 3, representing eight new structure types amongst homoleptic borohydrides. An approach based on synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction to solve crystal structures and solid-state first principles calculations to refine atomic positions allows characterizing multi-phase ball-milled samples. The Li-BH4substructure adopts various topologies as a function of the compound's Li content, ranging from one-dimensional isolated chains to three-dimensional networks. It is revealed that the Li+ion has potential as a surprisingly versatile cation participating in framework building with the tetrahydroborate anion BH4as a linker, if the framework is stabilized by large electropositive counter-cations. This utility can be of interest when designing novel hydridic frameworks based on alkaline metals and will be of use when exploring the structural and coordination chemistry of light-metal systems otherwise subject to eutectic melting.