Sc/Ti decorated novel C24N24 cage: Promising hydrogen storage materials

Inspired by the TM?N₄ coordination environment and the promising hydrogen adsorption property of the Ti–C₄ unit, four novel TM₆C₂₄N₂₄ (TM = Sc, Ti) cages with six TM?N₄/TM?C₄ units are designed simultaneously for the first time in this paper. Their stabilities are studied by using DFT calculations and confirmed by MD simulations. Sc₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄) and Ti₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄) can absorb 30 hydrogen molecules and keep the original structures intact. The average hydrogen adsorption energy is 0.13–0.26 eV for Sc₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄)-6nH₂ (n = 1–5), and 0.09–0.23 eV for Ti₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄)-6nH₂ (n = 1–5). The hydrogen storage capacities are 6.30 wt % and 6.20 wt %, respectively. Besides, the 30H₂ can be readily adsorbed on Sc₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄) under 160 K and 100% desorbed at 270 K under 0.1 MPa. The desorption temperature could increase if the pressure becomes higher. Sc₆C₂₄N₂₄(C₄)/Ti₆C₂₄N₂₄(C₄) complexes are higher in energy than corresponding Sc₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄)/Ti₆C₂₄N₂₄(N₄). They are not suitable as room-temperature hydrogen storage materials due to the structural deformation in the hydrogen storage process.