Metal hydrides and their use in hydrogen storage applications

Abstract

This disclosure relates to novel metal hydrides, processes for their preparation, and their use in hydrogen storage applications.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A metal hydride containing one or more transition metals selected from vanadium, chromium, and manganese, wherein
 (i) the metal hydride is stable as a bulk solid at room temperature;   (ii) the metal hydride is capable of absorbing and reversibly releasing hydrogen via a Kubas interaction;   (iii) the enthalpy of H 2  binding to the metal hydride is approximately thermodynamically neutral; and   (iv) the metal hydride optionally contains one or more organic groups, wherein when present, the one or more organic groups are bound to the metal center via a carbon atom in the organic group.   
     
     
         38 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , wherein the transition metal is manganese. 
     
     
         39 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , wherein the one or more transition metals are in more than one oxidation state. 
     
     
         40 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , wherein the metal hydride exhibits a gravimetric hydrogen absorption of between about 1% and about 10%, based on the total weight of the metal hydride. 
     
     
         41 . A method of storing hydrogen comprising
 (i) providing a metal hydride according to  claim 37 ;   (ii) adding hydrogen to the metal hydride; and   (iii) allowing the hydrogen to coordinate to the metal hydride.   
     
     
         42 . A hydrogen storage system comprising a storage system and a metal hydride according to  claim 37  within the storage system. 
     
     
         43 . A battery or fuel cell comprising a metal hydride according to  claim 37 . 
     
     
         44 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , wherein the metal hydride is capable of absorbing hydrogen (H 2 ) in an amount of greater than about 2% based upon 100% total weight of the metal hydride without hydrogen stored in it. 
     
     
         45 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , further comprising one or more H 2  molecules coordinated to a metal center in the metal hydride. 
     
     
         46 . The metal hydride according to  claim 45 , wherein the interaction between the H 2  molecule(s) and a metal center in the metal hydride is a Kubas interaction. 
     
     
         47 . A metal hydride storage material comprising a metal hydride of claim the material having sufficient microporosity to permit (i) H 2  to diffuse in and out of the material and the active binding sites of the metal hydride, (ii) the metal to coordinate with H 2  via a Kubas interaction, and (iii) absorption of H 2  in an amount of about 2.0% to about 12.0% (based upon 100% total weight of the metal hydride without hydrogen stored in it). 
     
     
         48 . The metal hydride according to  claim 45 , wherein the metal hydride comprises a compound of the formula MnH e , wherein:
 e is about 1.6 to about 2.4.   
     
     
         49 . The metal hydride according to  claim 45 , wherein the metal hydride is of the formula MnH (e-y) R y , wherein:
 e is about 1.6 to about 2.4;   each occurrence of R, if present, is independently, an organic group; and   each occurrence of y is, independently, 0 to about 0.5.   
     
     
         50 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , wherein the metal hydride is of the formula MnH x   d R y , wherein
 R is an organic group;   x d  is about 1.5 to about 2.5; and   y is 0 to about 0.5.   
     
     
         51 . The metal hydride according to  claim 37 , wherein the metal hydride contains one or more organic groups bound to the metal center via a carbon atom in the organic group. 
     
     
         52 . A manganese hydride, wherein
 (i) the manganese hydride is stable as a bulk solid at room temperature;   (ii) the manganese hydride has sufficient microporosity to permit H 2  to move in and out of the manganese hydride framework to active manganese binding sites;   (iii) the manganese hydride is capable of absorbing and reversibly releasing hydrogen;   (iv) the enthalpy of H 2  binding to the metal hydride is approximately thermodynamically neutral; and   (v) the manganese hydride optionally contains one or more organic groups, wherein when present, the one or more organic groups are bound to the manganese center via a carbon atom in the organic group.   
     
     
         53 . The manganese hydride of  claim 52 , wherein the manganese hydride optionally contains one or more additional metals selected from zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, silver, cadmium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, rhenium, osmium, iridium, platinum, gold, mercury, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         54 . The manganese hydride of  claim 52 , wherein the manganese hydride absorbs and reversibly releases hydrogen via a Kubas interaction. 
     
     
         55 . A method of storing hydrogen comprising
 (i) providing a manganese hydride according to  claim 52 ;   (ii) adding hydrogen to the metal hydride; and   (iii) allowing the hydrogen to coordinate to the metal hydride.   
     
     
         56 . A hydrogen storage system comprising a storage system and a manganese hydride according to  claim 52  within the storage system. 
     
     
         57 . A battery or fuel cell comprising a manganese hydride according to  claim 52 . 
     
     
         58 . The manganese hydride according to  claim 52 , wherein the manganese hydride is capable of absorbing hydrogen (H 2 ) in an amount of greater than about 2% based upon 100% total weight of the metal hydride without hydrogen stored in it. 
     
     
         59 . The manganese hydride according to  claim 52 , further comprising one or more H 2  molecules coordinated to a metal center in the metal hydride. 
     
     
         60 . The manganese hydride according to  claim 59 , wherein the interaction between the H 2  molecule(s) and a metal center in the metal hydride is a Kubas interaction. 
     
     
         61 . A metal hydride storage material comprising a manganese hydride of  claim 52 , the material having sufficient microporosity to permit (i) H 2  to diffuse in and out of the material and the active binding sites of the metal hydride, (ii) the metal to coordinate with H 2  via a Kubas interaction, and (iii) absorption of H 2  in an amount of about 2.0% to about 12.0% (based upon 100% total weight of the metal hydride without hydrogen stored in it).