Oxyhydrides are an intriguing class of materials in which there is partial replacement of the oxide ion with hydride ions and oxygen vacancies. Conventional synthesis relies on vacuum sealed ampules, using long reaction times at high temperatures, limiting accessibility. Here, we demonstrate a rapid, ambient-pressure route to oxyhydride formation using NaBH4 under flowing argon in just 1 h. This approach significantly lowers experimental barriers, enabling broader exploration of these materials. The maximum hydride incorporation, obtained using a reaction temperature of 400 °C, is given by the formula SrTiO2.945H0.049, where the hydride, oxygen vacancy, and unpaired electron concentrations are determined through thermogravimetric analysis, quantitative solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Density functional theory simulations of the 1H NMR shifts for candidate point defects support the assignment of the observed hydride peak, validating the efficacy of the synthetic approach. A combination of in situ and ex situ studies of the reaction pathway reveal that hydride incorporation into the perovskite occurs via direct solid–solid reaction, with higher reaction temperatures favoring NaBH4 decomposition and H2(g) release over oxyhydride formation. The electronic defect structure established from the EPR and NMR studies indicate that, at ambient temperature, anion vacant sites are occupied by single electrons, whereas hydride sites do not trap electrons. This work establishes a scalable synthesis strategy and provides a computational-experimental framework for understanding defect chemistry in oxyhydrides, opening pathways for their integration into energy and electronic applications.
Burrill et al. (2026) studied this question.