Hydrogen in aluminum: First-principles calculations of structure and thermodynamics

Despite decades of study, several key aspects of the Al-H system remain the subject of considerable debate. In an effort to elucidate some of these unknowns, we perform a systematic study of this system using first-principles density-functional calculations. We show that generalized gradient approximation (GGA) calculations provide an accurate picture of energetics, phase stability and structure, diffusion, and defect binding in the Al-H system. A series of calculations for hydrides in the M-H systems (M=Al, Ba, Ca, K, Mg, La, Li, Na, Ni, Pd, Sc, Sr, Ti, V, and Y) also shows that the GGA calculations are a quantitatively accurate predictor of hydride formation energies. For Al-H, we find: (i) In agreement with experiment, the observed metastable hydride, AlH3 is found to have a small, negative formation enthalpy at ambient conditions, but a strongly positive formation free energy. (ii) Linear response calculations of AlH3 yield vibrational frequencies, phonon densities of states (DOS), and heat capacities in excellent agreement with experimental measurements, and suggest the need for a reinterpretation of measured phonon DOS. (iii) Atomic relaxation and anharmonic vibrational effects both play an important role in the tetrahedral versus octahedral interstitial site preference of H in Al. (iv) The calculated heat of solution of H in the preferred tetrahedral site is large and positive (+0.71 eV), consistent with experimental solubility data and with Al as an endothermic hydrogen absorber. (v) Interstitial H interacts strongly with Al vacancies (square), with a calculated H-square binding energy of 0.33 eV. (vi) In the absence of vacancies, the calculated migration energy of H between the tetrahedral and octahedral interstitial sites is 0.18 eV, but for H migrating away from an Al vacancy, the migration energy increases to 0.54 eV. Vacancy trapping of H can therefore provide an explanation for observed disparate H migration barriers.