Publications
Hydrogen storage in LiAlH4 : predictions of the crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of intermediate phases from quantum mechanics
We use the density functional theory and x-ray and neutron diffraction to investigate the crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of intermediate phases likely to be involved in decomposition of the potential hydrogen storage material LiAlH{sub 4}. First, we explore the decomposition mechanism of monoclinic LiAlH4 into monoclinic Li{sub 3}AlH{sub 6} plus face-centered cubic (fcc) Al and hydrogen. We find that this reaction proceeds through a five-step mechanism with an overall activation barrier of 36.9 kcal/mol. The simulated x ray and neutron diffraction patterns from LiAlH{sub 4} and Li{sub 3}AlH{sub 6} agree well with experimental data. On the other hand, the alternative decomposition of LiAlH{sub 4} into LiAlH2 plus H2 is predicted to be unstable with respect to that through Li{sub 3}AlH{sub 6}. Next, we investigate thermal decomposition of Li{sub 3}AlH{sub 6} into fcc LiH plus Al and hydrogen, occurring through a four-step mechanism with an activation barrier of 17.4 kcal/mol for the rate-limiting step. In the first and second steps, two Li atoms accept two H atoms from AlH{sub 6} to form the stable Li-H-Li-H complex. Then, two sequential H2 desorption steps are followed, which eventually result in fcc LiH plus fcc Al and hydrogen: Li{sub 3}AlH{sub 6}(monoclinic) {yields} 3 LiH(fcc) + Al(fcc) + 3/2 H{sub 2} is endothermic by 15.8 kcal/mol. The dissociation energy of 15.8 kcal/mol per formula unit compares to experimental enthalpies in the range of 9.8-23.9 kcal/mol. Finally, we explore thermal decomposition of LiH, LiH(s) + Al(s) {yields} LiAl(s) + 1/2 H{sub 2}(g) is endothermic by 4.6 kcal/mol. The B32 phase, which we predict as the lowest energy structure for LiAl, shows covalent bond characters in the Al-Al direction. Additionally, we determine that transformation of LiH plus Al into LiAlH is unstable with respect to transformation of LiH through LiAl.