Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
First principles calculations based on gradient corrected density functional theory are carried out to understand the electronic structure and mechanisms responsible for desorption of hydrogen from Ti doped and vacancy containing sodium-alanate (NaAlH4). The energy necessary to remove a hydrogen atom from Ti doped NaAlH4 is significantly smaller than that from pristine NaAlH4 irrespective of whether Ti substitutes the Na or the Al site. However, the presence of Na and Al vacancies is shown to play an even more important role: The removal of hydrogen associated with both Na and Al vacancies is found to be exothermic. It is suggested that this role of vacancies can be exploited in the design and synthesis of complex light metal hydrides suitable for hydrogen storage.