Simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry and thermal desorption spectroscopy measurements for the study of the decomposition of metal hydrides

An innovative experimental method to investigate the thermal decomposition of metal hydrides is presented. The method is based on an experimental setu p composed of a differential scanning calorimeter connected through a capil lary tube to a mass spectrometer. The experimental system allows the simult aneous determination of the heat absorbed and the hydrogen evolved from a m etal hydride during thermal decomposition. This arrangement constitutes a c oupled differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal desorption spect roscopy (TDS) technique. It has been applied to metal hydride materials to demonstrate the capability of the experimental system. A method to obtain t he heat of decomposition of metal hydrides is described. It involves the me asurement of an apparent decomposition heat as a function of the carrier ga s flow. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.