Catalytic effect of PdCl(2) on the performance of Mg-based hydride hydrolysis

Abstract

Magnesium hydride (MgH2) is a promising hydrogen storage material and has a theoretical
hydrogen generation of up to 1703 mL/g when it combines with water. A study was done to understand
the effects of PdCl2 on the kinetics of Mg-based hydride hydrolysis. The preparation of the sample was
done by mechanical ball milling technique in 1 hour. The addition of 10 wt% PdCl2 was found to
significantly enhance the hydrogen production via the MgH2 hydrolysis at room temperature. At room
temperature, the MgH2-10 wt% PdCl2 system showed the fastest hydrolysis rate where it produced 1153
mL/g of hydrogen after 250 min, which is 131% higher than the 1-hour milled MgH2. In addition,
Mg(OH)2, MgH2 and Pd are the byproducts found from the hydrolysis process of the mixture. The
hydrolysis kinetic outcomes showed a novel approach to enhance the hydrolysis of MgH2, suggesting
that PdCl2 is a potential reagent for boosting the hydrolysis of MgH2 for green hydrogen generation
systems.