InordertoimprovethehydrogenstoragepropertiesofLiBH_4-MgH_2composite,twodifferentkindsofNb-basedcatalysts,NbCandNbF_5,wereaddedtoLiBH_4-MgH_2compositebyballmilling,andtheeffectofcatalystsonhydrogenstoragepropertiesofthemodifiedLiBH_4-MgH_2systemwasinvestigated.TheexperimentalresultsshowthatLiBH_4-MgH_2compositeisatwo-stepdehydrogenationprocess,andNb-basedcompoundscanremarkablyenhanceitsdehydrogenationkinetics.Forthecompositewithoutadditionofcatalysts,thestartingdecompositiontemperatureforthefirstdehydrogenationstepisaround320℃,andthereisalongperiodofincubationtime(around220min)fortheoccurrenceoftheseconddecompositionstepevenathightemperatureof450℃.Itneedsmorethan10htocompletethedecompositionprocessandreleasearound9wt%H_2.Afteradditionof5mol%NbF_5,thestartingdecompositiontemperatureforthefirstdehydrogenationstepisaround150℃,thereisnoincubationtimefortheseconddecompositionstep,andittakesaround40mintocompletethesecondstepandreachesatotaldehydrogenationcapacityof9.5wt%.NbF_5hasbettercatalyticeffectthanNbC.Basedonthehydrogenation/dehydrogenationbehaviorsandstructuralvariation,themechanismofcatalyticeffectwasdiscussed.
