Effect of catalyst LaCl3 on hydrogen storage properties of lithium alanate (LiAlH4)

LiAlH4 doped with LaCl3 additives were studied by PCT experiment and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Doping with 1 mol% LaCl3 resulted in a great decrease in the amount of hydrogen release associated with the first and second dehydrogenation steps. Increasing the amount of LaCl3 from 1 to 6 mol% caused such marked changes in behavior that the total amount of hydrogen release increased first and then decreased. The study on the first rehydrogenation cycle showed that LiAlH4 doped with 2 mol% LaCl3 presents the greatest absorption of hydrogen of about 0.8 wt%. The results from XRD spectra analysis indicated the reversibility of Li3AlH6.