ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Probing the dynamics of sodium amide across the melt transition

Abstract: Sodium amide has recently been explored as a highly active catalyst for the decomposition of ammonia to hydrogen. However, relatively little is known about the structure and dynamics of the material, particularly in the melt phase which is of direct relevance to its catalytic activity. We propose to conduct a three-part investigation of sodium amide (and its deuterated analogue) using the VESUVIO spectrometer. We will probe the kinetic energy and momentum distribution of the hydrogen/deuterium across the melt transition, and simultaneously use neutron transmission measurements to clarify the density of the material in the melt, which is not currently well-understood. Finally, we will make use of the new high-resolution detector to investigate the broadening of the gamma resonance peak to determine its relationship to the kinetic energy of the sodium ions.

Principal Investigator: Dr Josh Makepeace
Local Contact: Dr Andrew Seel

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2410730

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2410730

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
Select the data format above to find out more about it.

Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Dr Josh Makepeace et al; (2024): Probing the dynamics of sodium amide across the melt transition, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2410730

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.