Activation of the reactive hydride composite 2NaBH4 + MgH2

A novel method to enhance the reaction kinetics of the reactive hydride composite 2NaBH4 + MgH2 is described. It has been discovered that short-term exposure to a moist atmosphere has a very beneficial effect on the desorption reaction of the 2NaBH4 + MgH2 mixture. By this procedure it is possible to achieve, after drying, both faster desorption kinetics and greater amounts of released hydrogen compared to ball-milled material without further treatment.

► A detailed characterization of the effects of the water exposure on the 2NaBH4 + MgH2 mixture was carried out.
► The hydrogen desorption properties of the 2NaBH4 + MgH2 composite is markedly improved by short time exposure to a moist atmosphere.
► This work demonstrate a novel approach to significantly improve the kinetics of hydrogen storage systems based on NaBH4.