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Hydrogen as an energy carrier is very versatile in energy storage applications. Developments in novel, sustainable technologies towards a CO2-free society are needed and the exploration of all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) as well as solid-state hydrogen storage applications based on metal hydrides can provide solutions for such technologies. However, there are still many technical challenges for both hydrogen storage material and ASSBs related to designing low-cost materials with low-environmental impact. The current materials considered for all-solid-state batteries should have high conductivities for Na+, Mg2+ and Ca2+, while Al3+-based compounds are often marginalised due to the lack of suitable electrode and electrolyte materials. In hydrogen storage materials, the sluggish kinetic behaviour of solid-state hydride materials is one of the key constraints that limit their practical uses. Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the kinetic issues of hydride materials before discussing and considering them on the system level. This review summarizes the achievements of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) innovative training network (ITN) ECOSTORE, the aim of which was the investigation of different aspects of (complex) metal hydride materials. Advances in battery and hydrogen storage materials for the efficient and compact storage of renewable energy production are discussed.

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The Li5(BH4)3NH complex hydride, obtained by ball milling LiBH4 and Li2NH in various molar ratios, has been investigated. Using X-ray powder diffraction analysis the crystalline phase has been indexed with an orthorhombic unit cell with lattice parameters a = 10.2031(3), b = 11.5005(2), and c = 7.0474(2) Å at 77 °C. The crystal structure of Li5(BH4)3NH has been solved in space group Pnma, and refined coupling density functional theory (DFT) and synchrotron radiation X-ray powder diffraction data have been obtained for a 3LiBH4:2Li2NH ball-milled and annealed sample. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance measurements confirmed the chemical shifts calculated by DFT from the solved structure. The DFT calculations confirmed the ionic character of this lithium-rich compound. Each Li+ cation is coordinated by three BH4 – and one NH2– anion in a tetrahedral configuration. The room-temperature ionic conductivity of the new orthorhombic compound is close to10–6 S/cm at room temperature, with activation energy of 0.73 eV.