Enhanced hydrogen storage performance of MgH2Ni2P/graphene nanosheets

Ni2P/GNS nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile and green hydrothermal technique. Microstructural characterizations demonstrated that Ni2P nanoparticles with an average size of about 5 nm were uniformly distributed in graphene nanosheets. The Ni2P/GNS nanohybrid exhibited enhanced effects on the dehydrogenation properties of MgH2 compared to Ni2P and GNS individually. The onset desorption temperature of MgH2Ni2P/GNS composite reduced by 98 °C in contrast with the pure as-milled MgH2. Moreover, the MgH2Ni2P/GNS composite could release 6.1 wt% H2 (only 0.2 wt% H2 for the pure as-milled MgH2) within 20 min at 325 °C. In addition, the relative hydrogen desorption mechanism of MgH2Ni2P/GNS composite has also been discussed.