Using MgO to improve the (de)hydriding properties of magnesium

Of all the materials presently being investigated to safely store high volumes of hydrogen for mobile applications; magnesium remains the most attractive. Magnesium is a light, low cost metal with high capacity for hydrogen storage but its (de)hydriding kinetics have to be improved for practical applications. Recently, hydrogen kinetics in magnesium have been significantly improved by mechanically milling magnesium hydride with catalyst transition metals or metal oxides. Here, we report that similar improvements can be achieved without using a catalyst. Our results demonstrate that magnesium hydride milled with magnesium oxide exhibits dehydriding and hydriding kinetics as fast as those obtained with catalyst transition metals or metal oxides.