Elastic versus Alloying Effects in Mg-Based Hydride Films

Magnesium thin films covered with a layer of Pd absorb hydrogen at much higher pressures than bulk Mg. Such an effect was originally explained as a consequence of elastic clamping on Mg by the capping Pd layer. An alternative interpretation later suggested that the pressure increase could originate from simple alloying between Mg and Pd. Here...

Metal-hydrogen systems with an exceptionally large and tunable thermodynamic destabilization

Hydrogen is a key element in the energy transition. Hydrogen-metal systems have been studied for various energy-related applications, e.g., for their use in reversible hydrogen storage, catalysis, hydrogen sensing, and rechargeable batteries. These applications depend strongly on the thermodynamics of the metal-hydrogen system. Therefore,...

Destabilization of magnesium hydride through interface engineering

The aim of this thesis is to study the thermodynamics of hydrogenation of nanoconfined magnesium within a thin film multilayer model system. Magnesium hydride is a potential material for hydrogen storage, which is a key component in a renewable energy system based on hydrogen. In bulk form, magnesium hydride is very stable, which means that...