Exploration of the nature of active Ti species in metallic Ti-doped NaAlH4

Clarification of the nature of active Ti species has been a key challenge in developing Ti-doped NaAlH(4) as a potential hydrogen storage medium. Previously, it has been greatly hindered by the invisibility of Ti-containing species in conventional analysis techniques. In the present study, for the first time, the catalytically active Ti-containing species have been definitely identified by X-ray diffraction in the hydrides doped with metallic Ti. It was found that mechanical milling of a NaH/Al mixture or NaAlH(4) with metallic Ti powder resulted in the formation of nanocrystalline Ti hydrides. The variation of the preparation conditions during the doping process leads to a slight composition variation of the Ti hydrides. The catalytic enhancement arising upon doping the hydride with commercial TiH(2) was quite similar to that achieved in the hydrides doped with metallic Ti. Moreover, the cycling stability that was previously established in metallic Ti-doped hydrides was also observed in the hydrides doped with TiH(2). These results clearly demonstrate that the in situ formed Ti hydrides act as active species to catalyze the reversible dehydrogenation of NaAlH(4). The mechanism by which Ti hydrides catalyze the reversible de-/hydrogenation reactions of NaAlH(4) was discussed.