Abstract

The hydrogen storage properties and the thermal cyclic charge and discharge capability of the nanocrystalline Mg2Ni alloy powder prepared by high energy ball milling are examined to evaluate the potential use of these materials in vehicular applications. Repetitive hydriding and dehydriding of nanocrystalline Mg2Ni alloy is performed at different cycling temperatures and pressures of absorption and desorption. It was found that the cycling did not affect the kinetic rates of absorption/desorption. X-ray crystal structure analysis and pressure concentration isotherms of the alloy, after initial activation and after 2100 cycles, reveal significant changes in the dynamic phase structure and the thermodynamic properties. In addition to these experiments, we have also performed scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area and specific heat characterizations. These have indicated that the changes in volume during the 2100 hydriding/dehydriding cycles do not produce severe decrepitation. However, inherent deterioration in the charge capacity of the alloy, apparently related to the formation of the MgNi2 phase, was observed.