• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 1995

The MmNi-based alloy electrode was studied for use as a negative electrode in Ni-MH battery. Alloys with $MmNi_5-_xM_x$(M=Co,Al,Mn) composition were synthesized, and their electrode charateristics of activation rate, temperature dependence, electrode capacity and cycle life were investigated. With increasing Al content and decreasing Mn content in the alloys, the discharge capacity increased while the cycle life decreased. As x in $MmNi_5-_xM_x$ increased from 1.5 to 2.0, decreasing the Ni content, the discharge capacity, the low temperature property and the rate capability decreased. However its cycle life was improved. Increasing Co content resulted in a prolonged cycle life and decrease of high rate discharge capacity. It can be concluded that the most promising alloy in view of discharge capacity and cycle life is $MmNi_{3.5}Co_{0.7}Al_{0.5}Mn_{0.3}$.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.11-18
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• 1996

The Laves phase alloy hydrides have some promising properties as electrode materials in reversible metal hydride batteries. In this work, the hydrogen storage performance, crystallographic parameters, surface morphology, surface area and electrochemical characteristics of the non-stoichiometric $ZrMn_{0.3}V_{0.7}Ni_{1.4+{\alpha}}$, $ZrMn_{0.5}V_{0.5}Ni_{1.4+{\alpha}}$($\alpha$ =0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6) alloys were examined. These as-cast alloys were found to have mainly a cubic C15-type Laves phase structure by X -ray diffraction analysis. The equilibrium pressure of the alloy were increased as $\alpha$ increased in both two types alloy. In case of $ZrMn_{0.5}V_{0.5}Ni_{1.4+{\alpha}}$ alloys, discharge efficiency and the rate capability of the alloy were decreased as $\alpha$ increased but, these values were increased in case of $ZrMn_{0.3}V_{0.7}Ni_{1.4+{\alpha}}$ alloys. The differences of these electrode properties observed were dependent on the reaction surface area and the catalytic activity of unit area of the each electrode.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.79-90
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• 1997

Extensive work has been done on investigating the inner cell pressure characteristics of sealed type Ni-MH battery in which Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni alloy is used as anode. The inner cell pressure of this type Ni-MH battery much more increases with the charge/discharge cycling than that of the other type Ni-MH battery where commercialized $AB_5$ type alloy is used as anode. The increase of inner cell pressure in the sealed type Ni/MH battery using Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni alloy system is mainly due to the accumulation of oxygen gas during charge/discharge cycling. The accumulation of oxygen gas arises mainly due to the low rate of oxygen recombination on the MH electrode surface during charge/discharge cycling. The difference of oxygen recombination rate between $AB_5$ type electrode and Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni electrode is caused by the difference of electrode reaction surface area resulting from different particle size after their activation and the difference of surface catalytic activity for oxygen recombination reaction, respectively. After EIS analysis, it is identified that the surface catalytic activity affects much more dominantly on the oxygen recombination reaction than the reaction surface area does. In order to suppress the inner cell pressure of Ni-MH battery where Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni is used as anode, it is suggested that the surface catalytic activity for oxygen recombination should be improved.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.181-191
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• 1996

Samples with the compositions of Mg-10wt.%Ni and Mg-25wt.%Ni were prepared by mechanical alloying in a planetary mill. $Mg_2Ni$ phase was formed in the mixture with hydriding dehydriding cycling. The activation of Mg-10wt.%Ni and Mg-25wt.%Ni was completed after n=7 and n=6 around, respectively, at 583K, $0{\sim}8barH_2$. Mg-10wt.% Ni and Mg-25wt. %Ni are considered as excellent hydrogen-storage materials with very high hydriding rates, high dehydriding rates and relatively large hydrogen-storage capacity. The effets of mechanical alloying and hydriding dehydriding cycling are considered the augmentation in the density of active nucleation sites and the diminution in the particle size.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2000

The effect of electroless Ni and Cu plating on $LaNi_5$, $AB_5$ type hydrogen storage alloy was investigated by the various electrochemical techniques such as constant current charge-discharge test, cyclic voltammeoy, and a.c. impedance spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction test were conducted for phenomenological logical analyses. Cyclic Voltammetry results show that activation characteristics, cycle life and reaction ,rate were improved through electroless Ni and Cu plating. Compared with bare $LaNi_5$ the charge transfer resistance of electrode was greatly reduced as charge-discharge cycle increases. Therefore, electroless Ni and Cu plating on $LaNi_5$ alloy tends to accelerate the early activation, increasing the cyclic lift of electrode.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 1995

Activation behavior, hydriding rate and disintegration were tested for hydrogen storage alloy particles fixed in an adhesive after treating with inorganic solution. Commertial adhesive as a binder was used. Chemical-treated particles showed the best characteristics for activation and a little effect of prevention the break down of the powders themselves after several repeated operations. Furthermore activation characteristics were found to show a similar trend to chemical-treated powders even in the fixed one with an adhesive, except for a slight decrease in reaction velocity.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 1994

Activation behavior, hydriding rate and disintegration were studied for a compact in pellet form and hydrogen storage alloy particles treated with newly developed inorganic solution. Cylindrical disc of 12.95mm diameter and of 7.1mm thickness was prepared by compressing(8ton) a mixture of $MmNi_{4.5}Al_{0.47}$ and PTFE. Chemical treatment of particles with 1mol of solution was performed at room temperature for several hours until the pH of solution did not change. Chemical treatment made much accelerated activation without any incubation period which generally exists in the untreated alloys and the hydriding reaction rate after full activation also was improved.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 1998

[ $AB_2-type$ ] alloy, one kind of hydrogen storage alloys used as an anode of Ni-MH batteries, has large discharge capacity but has remaining problems regarding initial activation, cycle life and self-discharge. This study investigates the effects of Cr-addition and fluorination after La-addition on $Zr_{0.7}Ti_{0.3}V_{0.4}Mn_{0.4}Ni_{1.2}$, composition $AB_2-type$ alloy. EPMA and SEM surface analysis techniques were used and the crystal structure was characterized by XRD analysis. In addition, electrodes were fabricated out of the alloys and characterized by constant current cycling test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization. Cr-addition was found to be effective to cycle life and self-discharge but ineffective to initial activation due to formation of stable oxide film on surface. Fluorination after La-addition to the alloys improved initial activation remarkably due to formation of highly reactive particles on surface.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.787-793
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• 2011

A 76.5wt%Mg - 23.5wt%Ni (Mg-23.5Ni) sample was prepared by reactive mechanical grinding (RMG) and its hydriding and dehydriding properties were then investigated. Activation of the Mg-23.5Ni sample was completed only after two hydriding (under 12 bar $H_2$) - dehydriding (under 1.0 bar $H_2$) cycles at 593K. The reactive mechanical grinding of Mg with Ni is considered to facilitate nucleation and shorten diffusion distances of hydrogen atoms. After hydriding - dehydriding cycling, the Mg-23.5Ni sample contained Mg2Ni phase.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.189-202
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• 2000

$AB_2$ type Zr-based Laves phases alloys have been studied for potential application as a negative electrode in a Ni-MH battery. The $AB_2$-type electrodes have a much higher energy density than $AB_5$-type electrodes per weight, however they have some disadvantages such as poor activation behavior and cycle life etc. Nonetheless, the $AB_2$-type electrodes have been studied very extensively due to their high energy density. In this study, in order to develop the cycle life, the Mn of $AB_2$ alloy composition was substituted partially by Mo. The alloys were melted by arc furnace and remelted 4-5 times for homogeneity. The alloy powder was used below 200-325 mesh for experiments. The structures and phases of the alloys were analyzed by XRD, SEM and EDS, and measured the curve of a pressure-composition isotherms. The electrodes were prepared by cold pressing of the copper-coated(25 wt%) alloy powders, and tested by a half cell. The results are summarized as follows. The cycle life was improved with the increase of Mo amount in $Zr_{1-x}Ti_xV_{0.4}Ni_{1.2}Mn_{0.4}Mo_y$(x=0.3, 0.4) and the activation was faster, whereas the discharge capacity decreased.