Tuning the performance of MgO for thermochemical energy storage by dehydration – From fundamentals to phase impurities

Abstract Systematic variation of the dehydration temperature and time enables the preparation of highly reactive magnesium oxide for thermochemical energy storage purposes. The reactivity of the MgO, resulting from varying dehydration conditions has been studied by a comparative approach, including reactive surface area, particle morphology and reactivity towards rehydration. For the rehydration an in-situ powder X-Ray diffraction setup is used, allowing for continuous monitoring of Mg(OH) 2 formation. The outcome of this investigation was subsequently applied to MgO from natural magnesites to assess the impact of impurities in the material on rehydration reactivity.