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DOE OSTI · 2516797

Pressureless sintering of lithium hydride

Evans, Peter W.F. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Bustillos, Christian G. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Charalambous, Harry [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Wilson-Heid, Alexander E. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Shittu, Jibril [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Swift, Andrew J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Root, Jaben [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]·Du Frane, Wyatt L. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]
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Abstract

Lithium Hydride is a material of growing importance for addressing technological challenges related to nuclear fusion, long-term human space travel, and thermal energy storage. Pressureless sintering provides a straightforward, scalable approach to produce dense LiH parts of all sizes and shapes. Pressed LiH green compacts were sintered at heating rates from 2.5 to 20 °C/min to 650 °C, yielding densities up to 96 ± 1.4 %, with densification initiating at 500 °C. Here, a validated master sintering curve was constructed with a sintering apparent activation energy of 135 kJ/mol. X-ray diffraction and simultaneous thermal analysis revealed Li 2 O formation from 300 – 550 °C and decomposition of LiH into Li metal at 550 °C, each reflected as deviations in the master sintering curve. Computed tomography after thermal treatment to 550 °C showed the formation of corrosion products, and after thermal treatment to 650 °C LiH reduction to Li most significantly at exposed surfaces.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCEComputed TomographyLithium hydrideMaster sintering curvePressureless sintering

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Evans, Peter W.F. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Bustillos, Christian G. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Charalambous, Harry [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Wilson-Heid, Alexander E. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Shittu, Jibril [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Swift, Andrew J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Root, Jaben [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)], Du Frane, Wyatt L. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)]. 2024-12-10. Pressureless sintering of lithium hydride. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2024.117152

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DOE OSTI2026

Cyclic moisture reactivation of calcium sorbents for long duration thermochemical energy storage

The transition to a flexible and reliable energy infrastructure, using electro-thermal energy generation technologies such as geothermal, concentrated solar power, and nuclear, usually demands simultaneous advancement of thermal energy storage (TES) to support on-demand electricity generation and industrial applications while mitigating the inherent intermittency of renewable energy sources and power outages from direct energy generation. Among TES technologies, thermochemical energy storage (TCES) based on calcium looping emerges as a compelling high-power energy storage candidate due to its high reaction enthalpy, compatibility with elevated operating temperatures, and abundance of low-cost materials. However, the long-term durability of calcium-based sorbents for TCES is hindered by surface sintering and particle aggregation, leading to performance degradation over repeated thermal cycles. This study explores a moisture hydration-based strategy to regenerate a degraded calcium sorbent and mitigate performance degradation for long duration TCES. The addition of moisture transforms calcium oxide into calcium hydroxide and produces intercalation water layers, associated with a regenerated surface area and reduced calcium oxide crystallite size. Both these effects are beneficial in restoring the sorbents' reactivity for carbonization. Additionally, an optimized hydration-assisted reactivation protocol balances the recovered energy storage capacity with heating penalty required for moisture removal from hydrated samples, resulting in an enhanced energy storage capacity up to 176% compared to benchmark sorbents that undergo cycling without reactivation after 60 cycles. In conclusion, these results highlight the potential of hydration-assisted reactivation to enhance the long-term performance of TCES, providing an effective pathway to advancing electro-thermal storage technologies.

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