The effect of storage-induced changes in ammonia borane on hydrogen release during its low-temperature thermolysis

In this paper, low-temperature solid-state processes of the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃, AB) samples of different purity are compared under the conditions of isothermal heating at 100 °C, as well as in the course of thermal analysis which was also carried out at different rates of heating. The composition of boron-containing impurities was studied by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR) and ¹¹B magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (¹¹B MAS NMR). Accumulation in AB of three- and four-coordinated borate anions upon contact of hydride with air moisture is established. The apparent activation energies were calculated from thermal analysis data, and found to decrease from 174 to 163 kJ/mol as the AB purity decreased from 93% to 79%. This showed itself in a shortening of the induction period during the AB thermolysis under isothermal conditions. The prospects of using the thermal analysis for estimating NH₃BH₃ reactivity are discussed.