Enhanced hydrogen desorption property of MgH2 with the addition of cerium fluorides

Hydrogen desorption property of MgH2 doped with cerium fluorides with different valences prepared using ball milling has been studied. CeF4 is catalytically active for hydrogen desorption of MgH2. Hydrogen desorption temperature and apparent activation energy of MgH2 are significantly reduced with dopant of 2 mol% of CeF4, which might be attributed to the formation of a new Ce-F-Mg specie at the CeF4/MgH2 interface and the easy electron transfer induced from the high valence Ce-cation. The apparent activation energy of hydrogen desorption of MgH2 is reduced from similar to 160 kJ/mol to similar to 110 kJ/mol with the dopant of CeF4. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.