Hydrogen storage and induced properties in non-metallic catalytic materials

Particular active sites, x M – y M ′ (where x and y are the number of unsaturations, i.e. anionic vacancies, on each cation M and M ′ ) involving reactive hydrogen are created during the activation of non-metallic catalytic materials. The anionic vacancies created in bulk and at the surface of the solid, by the loss of H 2 O or H 2 S , are able to receive hydrogen in a hydridic form according to a heterolytic dissociation ( X 2 - M n + □ + H 2 → XH - M n + H - with X = O or S). The non-metallic catalytic materials become catalytic hydrogen reservoirs. Besides a high reactivity, the hydrogen species, stored in the solid, present marked diffusion properties leading to a dynamic behavior of the solid and active sites.