MgH2→ Mg phase transformation driven by a high-energy electron beam: Anin situtransmission electron microscopy study

Abstract The dynamics of a phase change have been studied using the electron beam in a transmission electron microscope to transform MgH2 into Mg. The study involved selected-area diffraction and electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). The orientation relation ( and ), obtained from the electron diffraction study, has been used to propose a model for the movements of magnesium atoms during the phase change. The in situ EELS results have been compared with the existing H-desorption model. The study aims to describe the sorption dynamics of hydrogen in MgH2, which is a base material for a number of promising hydrogen storage systems. Keywords: TEMEELShydridesmagnesiumhydrogen desorption Acknowledgement One of the authors (B. Paik) acknowledges financial support from the ORS scheme and from the University of Birmingham, UK.