Body-centered-cubic phase hydrogen storage alloy with improved capacity and fast activation

Abstract

The hydrogen storage performance of body-centered cubic (bcc) phase Ti–20Cr–12Mn–24V–5Fe alloy is reported. It was found that the alloy has better activation property, flatter hydrogen absorption–desorption pressure plateau, lower cost, and larger hydrogen storage capacity. Compared to as-cast sample, the pressure plateau characteristics of melt-quenching alloy are improved significantly. This could be attributed to the formation of single bcc phase, which results in the increase of the effective hydrogen capacity. A maximum capacity of 3.3 wt % and an effective capacity of 2.2 wt % were obtained for the quenched alloy with a quenching rate of 20 m s−1 under moderate pressure and temperature, which is of great importance to the practicality of bcc phase alloy for hydrogen storage systems.