Polyhedral Boranes as Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage Materials

A new research project has been initiated in our laboratory in order to study the complex electrochemical behavior of various polyhedral boranes (polyboranes). We have studied the electrochemistry of the dodecahydrodocecaborate dianion for two different cations in anhydrous acetonitrile solutions. We have noticed interesting differences in the cyclic voltammograms for each solution. Also of interest is the effect of various concentrations of the polyboranes. For instance, a solution of triethylamine dodecahydrodocecaborate ([(CH3CH2)3NH]2B12H12) at a concentration of 1 mM exhibits an oxidation wave whose potential value is dependent on the cycle number in a cyclic voltammogram. Additionally, by varying the polyborane concentration in a solution of tetra-n- butylammonium dodecahydrododecaborate ([(CH3CH2CH2CH2)4N] 2B12H12) from 1 to 10 mM, we notice additional oxidation features occur at the higher concentrations.