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The main focus of this thesis is the characterization of defects and microstructure in high-energy ball milled magnesium hydride powder and magnesium-based multilayered composites. Enhancement in kinetics of hydrogen cycling in magnesium can be achieved by applying severe plastic deformation. A literature survey reveals that, due to extreme instability of -MgH2 in transmission electron microscope (TEM), the physical parameters that researchers have studied are limited to particle size and grain size. By utilizing a cryogenic TEM sample holder, we extended the stability time of the hydride phase during TEM characterization. Milling for only 30 minutes resulted in a significant enhancement in desorption kinetics. A subsequent annealing cycle under pressurized hydrogen reverted the kinetics to its initial sluggish state. Cryo-TEM analysis of the milled hydride revealed that mechanical milling induces deformation twinning in the hydride microstructure. Milling did not alter the thermodynamics of desorption. Twins can enhance the kinetics by acting as preferential locations for the heterogeneous nucleation of metallic magnesium. We also looked at the phase transformation characteristics of desorption in MgH2. By using energy-filtered TEM, we investigated the morphology of the phases in a partially desorbed state. Our observations prove that desorption phase transformation in MgH2 is of nucleation and growth type, with a substantial energy barrier for nucleation. This is contrary to the generally assumed core-shell structure in most of the simulation models for this system. We also tested the hydrogen storage cycling behavior of bulk centimeter-scale Mg-Ti and Mg-SS multilayer composites synthesized by accumulative roll-bonding. Addition of either phase (Ti or SS) allows the reversible hydrogen sorption at 350C, whereas identically roll-bonded pure magnesium cannot be absorbed. In the composites the first cycle of absorption (also called activation) kinetics improve with increased number of fold and roll (FR) operations. With increasing FR operations the distribution of the Ti phase is progressively refined, and the shape of the absorption curve no longer remains sigmoidal. Up to a point, increasing the loading amount of the second phase also accelerates the kinetics. Microscopy analysis performed on 1-2 wt.% hydrogen absorbed composites demonstrates that MgH2 formed exclusively on various heterogeneous nucleation sites. During activation, MgH2 nucleation occurred at the Mg-hard phase interfaces. On the subsequent absorption cycles, heterogeneous nucleation primarily occurred in the vicinity of internal free surfaces such as cracks. / Materials Engineering

We have designed and engineered bi-catalyst magnesium hydride composites with superior sorption performance to that of ball milled magnesium hydride catalyzed with the individual baseline catalysts. We have examined the effect of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)-metallic nanoparticle additions on the hydrogen desorption behavior of MgH2 after high-energy co-milling. We showed the synergy between SWCNT's and metallic nanoparticles in catalyzing the sorption of magnesium hydride. The optimum microstructure for sorption, obtained after 1 h of co-milling, consists of highly defective SWCNTs in intimate contact with metallic nanoparticles and with the hydride. This microstructure is optimum, presumably because of the dense and uniform coverage of the defective SWCNTs on the MgH2 surface. Cryo-stage transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the hydride powders revealed that they are nanocrystalline and in some cases multiply twinned. Since defects are an integral component of hydride-to-metal phase transformations, such analysis sheds new insight regarding the fundamental microstructural origins of the sorption enhancement due to mechanical milling. The nanocomposite shows markedly improved cycling as well. Activation energy analysis demonstrates that any catalytic effect due to the metallic nanoparticles is lost during cycling. Improved cycling performance is instead achieved as a result of the carbon allotropes preventing MgH2 particle agglomeration and sintering. The nanocomposite received over 100 sorption cycles with fairly minor kinetic degradation. We investigated the catalytic effect of Fe + Ti bi-metallic catalyst on the desorption kinetics of magnesium hydride. Sub-micron dimensions for MgH2 particles and excellent nanoscale catalyst dispersion was achieved by high-energy milling. The composites containing Fe shows DSC desorption temperature of 170 °C lower than as-received MgH2 powder, which makes it suitable to be cycled at relatively low temperature of 250 °C. The low cycling temperature also prevents the formation of Mg2FeH6. The ternary Mg-Fe-Ti composite shows best performance when compared to baseline ball milled magnesium hydride with only one catalytic addition. With a very high BET surface area it also shows much less degradation during cycling. The synergy between Fe and Ti is demonstrated through use of TEM and by carefully measuring the activation energies of the baseline and the ternary composites. / Materials Engineering

Les hydrures de bore et d'aluminium sont très utilisés en chimie organique permettant des réductions hautement chimiosélectives de substrats polyfonctionnels complexes. Les systèmes réducteurs développés jusqu'à nos jours restent incapables d'égaler certaines de ces chimiosélectivités à des coûts compétitifs. L'utilisation des hydrures de bore et d'aluminium pose des problèmes de sécurité, d'environnement et de santé. Leurs réactions génèrent une quantité importante de déchets potentiellement toxiques. Le développement d'alternatives aux hydrures de bore et d'aluminium est donc un enjeu environnemental et économique. Les travaux de cette thèse répondent à cette demande en étudiant l'emploi de dérivés d'hypophosphite et d'hydrure de calcium et de magnésium pour la réduction de fonctions organiques. Ces donneurs d'hydrogènes sont stables à l'air, faciles à manipuler, peu réactifs, peu onéreux et sont composés d'éléments abondants et non toxiques. La réduction de cétones en alcools par l'hypophosphite de sodium a été développée en milieu biphasique en présence de palladium sur charbon ou de complexes de ruthénium homogènes. La réaction avec le palladium sur charbon conduit à un mélange d'alcool et d'alcane. L'optimisation des conditions réactionnelles a permis l'obtention sélective de l'alcool. Une réduction énantiosélective a été développée utilisant RuCl(pcymène)- Ts-DPEN comme catalyseur. Les hydrures de magnésium et de calcium commerciaux ont été activés par broyage mécanique et testés en réduction de l'acétophénone. L'hydrure de calcium a été appliqué à la réaction d'amination et d'alkylation réductrice en présence d'un catalyseur de platine ou de palladium supporté / Boron and aluminum hydrides are widely used in organic chemistry allowing the highly chemoselective reduction of complex multifunctional substrates. Other reducing systems developed until now are unable to equal some of these chemoselectivities with competitive costs. The use of boron and aluminum hydrides raises safety, environmental and health concerns. These reactions produce an important quantity of waste which is potentially toxic. The development of alternatives to boron and aluminum hydrides is thus an environmental and economical issue. This PhD work meets these demands by studying the use of hypophosphite derivatives, calcium and magnesium hydride in the reduction of organic functions. These hydrogen donors are stable to air, easy to handle, poorly reactive, inexpensive and are composed of abundant and non-toxic elements. The reduction of ketones to alcohols by sodium hypophosphite was developed in biphasic media in the presence of palladium on carbon or homogeneous ruthenium complexes. The reaction with palladium on carbon led to a mixture of alcohol and alkane. After optimization of the reaction conditions, alcohols were formed selectively. An enantioselective reduction was developed as well using RuCl(p-cymene)-Ts-DPEN as catalyst. Commercial magnesium and calcium hydride have been activated by ball milling and have been tested in the reduction of acetophenone. Calcium hydride has been applied to the reductive amination and alkylation in the presence of catalytic amount of supported platinum or palladium