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a Hydrogen-fluorine exchange in the NaBH 4 -NaBF 4 system is investigated using a range of experimental methods combined with DFT calculations and a possible mechanism for the reactions is proposed. Fluorine substitution is observed using in situ synchrotron radiation powder X-ray diffraction (SR-PXD) as a new Rock salt type compound with idealized composition NaBF 2 H 2 in the temperature range T = 200 to 215 1C. Combined use of solid-state 19 F MAS NMR, FT-IR and DFT calculations supports the formation of a BF 2 H 2 complex ion, reproducing the observation of a 19 F chemical shift at 144.2 ppm, which is different from that of NaBF 4 at 159.2 ppm, along with the new absorption bands observed in the IR spectra. After further heating, the fluorine substituted compound becomes X-ray amorphous and decomposes to NaF at B310 1C. This work shows that fluorine-substituted borohydrides tend to decompose to more stable compounds, e.g. NaF and BF 3 or amorphous products such as closo-boranes, e.g. Na 2 B 12 H 12 . The NaBH 4 -NaBF 4 composite decomposes at lower temperatures (300 1C) compared to NaBH 4 (476 1C), as observed by thermogravimetric analysis. NaBH 4 -NaBF 4 (1 : 0.5) preserves 30% of the hydrogen storage capacity after three hydrogen release and uptake cycles compared to 8% for NaBH 4 as measured using Sievert's method under identical conditions, but more than 50% using prolonged hydrogen absorption time. The reversible hydrogen storage capacity tends to decrease possibly due to the formation of NaF and Na 2 B 12 H 12 . On the other hand, the additive sodium fluoride appears to facilitate hydrogen uptake, prevent foaming, phase segregation and loss of material from the sample container for samples of NaBH 4 -NaF.

Despite the recurrence of fingermark dating issues and the research conducted on fingermark composition and aging, no dating methodology has yet been developed and validated. In order to further evaluate the possibility of developing dating methodologies based on the fingermark composition, this research proposed an in-depth study of the aging of target lipid parameters found in fingermark residue and exposed to different influence factors. The selected analytical technique was gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The effects of donor, substrate and enhancement techniques on the selected parameters were firstly evaluated. These factors were called known factors, as their value could be obtained in real caseworks. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and univariate exponential regression, this study highlighted the fact that the effects of these factors were larger than the aging effects, thus preventing the observation of relevant aging patterns. From a fingermark dating perspective, the specific value of these known factors should thus be included in aging models newly built for each case. Then, the effects of deposition moment, pressure, temperature and lighting were also evaluated. These factors were called unknown factors, as their specific value would never be precisely obtained in caseworks. Aging models should thus be particularly robust to their effects and for this reason, different chemometric tools were tested: PCA, univariate exponential regression and partial least square regression (PLSR). While the first two models allowed observing interesting aging patterns regardless of the value of the applied influence factors, PLSR gave poorer results, as large deviations were obtained. Finally, in order to evaluate the potential of such modelling in realistic situations, blind analyses were carried out on eight test fingermarks. The age of five of them was correctly estimated using soft independent modelling of class analogy analysis (SIMCA) based on PCA classes, univariate exponential linear regression and PLSR. Furthermore, a probabilistic approach using the calculation of likelihood ratios (LR) through the construction of a Bayesian network was also tested. While the age of all test fingermarks were correctly evaluated when the storage conditions were known, the results were not significant when these conditions were unknown. Thus, this model clearly highlighted the impact of storage conditions on correct age evaluation. This research showed that reproducible aging modelling could be obtained based on fingermark residue exposed to influence factors, as well as promising age estimations. However, the proposed models are still not applicable in practice. Further studies should be conducted concerning the impact of influence factors (in particular, storage conditions) in order to precisely evaluate in which conditions significant evaluations could be obtained. Furthermore, these models should be properly validated before any application in real caseworks could be envisaged.

Borohydrides have attained high interest in the past few years due to their high volumetric and gravimetric hydrogen content. Synthesis of di/trimetallic borohydride is a way to alter the thermodynamics of hydrogen release from borohydrides. Previously reported preparations of M(BH4)2 involved chloride containing species such as SrCl2. The presence of residual chloride (or other halide) ions in borohydrides may change their thermodynamic behavior and their decomposition pathway. Pure monometallic borohydrides are needed to study decomposition products without interference from halide impurities. They can also be used as precursors for synthesizing di/trimetallic borohydrides. In this paper we present a way to synthesize halide free alkaline earth metal (Sr, Ba) and europium borohydrides starting with the respective hydrides as precursors. Two novel high temperature polymorphs of Sr and Eu borohydrides and four polymorphs of Ba borohydride have been characterized by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, thermal analysis, and Raman and infrared spectroscopy and supported by periodic DFT calculations. The decomposition routes of these borohydrides have also been investigated. In the case of the decomposition of strontium and europium borohydrides, the metal borohydride hydride (M(BH4)H3, M = Sr, Eu) is observed and characterized. Periodic DFT calculations performed on room temperature Ba(BH4)2 revealed the presence of bidentate and tridentate borohydrides.

Fluoride substitution in LiBH is studied by investigation of LiBH-LiBF mixtures (9 : 1 and 3 : 1). Decomposition was followed by in situ synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (in situ SR-PXD), thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry with gas analysis (TGA/DSC-MS) and in situ infrared spectroscopy (in situ FTIR). Upon heating, fluoride substituted LiBH forms (LiBHF) and decomposition occurs, releasing diborane and solid decomposition products. The decomposition temperature is reduced more than fourfold relative to the individual constituents, with decomposition commencing at T = 80 °C. The degree of fluoride substitution is quantified by sequential Rietveld refinement and shows a selective manner of substitution. In situ FTIR experiments reveal formation of bands originating from LiBHF. Formation of LiF and observation of diborane release implies that the decomposing materials have a composition that facilitates formation of diborane and LiF, i.e. LiBHF (LiBHF). An alternative approach for fluoride substitution was performed, by addition of EtN·3HF to LiBH, yielding extremely unstable products. Spontaneous decomposition indicates fluoride substitution to have occurred. From our point of view, this is the most significant destabilization effect seen for borohydride materials so far.