Phase transition induced improvement in H2 desorption kinetics: the case of the high-temperature form of Y(BH4)3

Abstract

The high-temperature (HT) phase of Y(BH₄)₃ has been prepared by heating of the as mechanochemically synthesised low-temperature (LT) phase of Y(BH₄)₃ to 194–216 °C and subsequent rapid cooling to ambient temperature. Although the differences in the crystal structure and vibrational spectra for these closely-related polymorphs are rather small, yet the NMR MAS ¹H and CP MAS ⁸⁹Y spectra reveal clear differences in the chemical shifts for both nuclei. The thermal decomposition process of both forms differs noticeably below 260 °C, decomposition being faster and more facile for the HT phase. The activation energy for thermal decomposition, calculated according to the Kissinger equation, is nearly three times lower for the HT than for the LT polymorph for the first step of the thermal decomposition signalling giant improvement of kinetics of H₂ desorption.