LiAlD4 with VCl3 additives: Influence of ball-milling energies

The reduction reaction of VCl₃ mixed with LiAlD₄ is studied for different ball-mill energies. From low to high ball-milling energies VCl₃ is reduced by the formation of Li–V–Cl metastables phases, LiCl and free Al and V or Al–V phases. It is also shown that the enhancement of the kinetics reaches a limit with increased ball-mill energy. From measurements of the released hydrogen with a Sieverts apparatus and X-ray and neutron diffraction, it is shown that even under mild conditions, at or close to room temperature, the two first steps of the decomposition of VCl₃-enhanced LiAlD₄ occurs during the first weeks after milling at temperatures in the range 20–50 °C.