Hydrogen storage in pillared Li-dispersed boron carbide nanotubes

Ab initio density-functional theory study suggests that pillared Li-dispersed boron carbide nanotubes is capable of storing hydrogen with a mass density higher than 6.0 weight% and a volumetric density higher than 45 g/L. The boron substitution in carbon nanotube greatly enhances the binding energy of Li atom to the nanotube, and this binding energy (~ 2.7 eV) is greater than the cohesive energy of lithium metal (~1.7 eV), preventing lithium from aggregation (or segregation) at high lithium doping concentration. The adsorption energy of hydrogen on the Li-dispersed boron carbide nanotube is in the range of 10 ~24 kJ/mol, suitable for reversible H2 adsorption/desorption at room temperature and near ambient pressure.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figure

General stationary charged black holes as charged particle accelerators

We study the possibility of getting infinite energy in the center of mass frame of colliding charged particles in a general stationary charged black hole. For black holes with two-fold degenerate horizon, it is found that arbitrary high center-of-mass energy can be attained, provided that one of the particle has critical angular momentum or critical charge, and the remained parameters of particles and black holes satisfy certain restriction. For black holes with multiple-fold degenerate event horizons, the restriction is released. For non-degenerate black holes, the ultra-high center-of-mass is possible to be reached by invoking the multiple scattering mechanism. We obtain a condition for the existence of innermost stable circular orbit with critical angular momentum or charge on any-fold degenerate horizons, which is essential to get ultra-high center-of-mass energy without fine-tuning problem. We also discuss the proper time spending by the particle to reach the horizon and the duality between frame dragging effect and electromagnetic interaction. Some of these general results are applied to braneworld small black holes.Comment: 23 pages, no figures, revised version accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.