Si-doping effect on the enhanced hydrogen storage of single walled carbon nanotubes and graphene

We identified several parameters that correlate with the hydrogen physisorption energy and physicochemical properties of heteronuclear bonding in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) and graphene. These parameters were used to find the most promising heteronuclear doping agents for SWCNTs and graphene for enhanced hydrogen storage capacity. Si-doping was showed to increase the amount of physisorbed hydrogen on such surfaces. Grand Canonical Ensemble Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations showed that the hydrogen storage capacity of 10 at% Si-doped SWCNT (Si-CNT10) could reach a maximum of 2.5 wt%, almost twice the storage capacity of undoped SWCNTs, which were showed to reach a maximum capacity of 1.4 wt% at room temperature. To achieve this capacity, debundling effects of the uneven surfaces of Si-doped SWCNTs were found to be necessary. Similarly, 10 at% Si-doping on graphene (Si-GR10) was showed to increase the hydrogen storage capacity from 0.8 to 2.4 wt%.

► Heteroelement-doped nanostructured carbon as a potential hydrogen adsorbent. ► We adopt three physicochemical parameters. ► Si-doping enables significantly enhancing hydrogen uptake. ► Storage enhancement depends on the physicochemical parameters of doped carbon nanostructures.