초록 ▼

A method of making hydrogen storage powder resistant to fracture in service involves forming a melt having the appropriate composition for the hydrogen storage material, such, for example, LaNi.sub.5 and other AB.sub.5 type materials and AB.sub.5+x materials, where x is from about -2.5 to about +2.5

A method of making hydrogen storage powder resistant to fracture in service involves forming a melt having the appropriate composition for the hydrogen storage material, such, for example, LaNi.sub.5 and other AB.sub.5 type materials and AB.sub.5+x materials, where x is from about -2.5 to about +2.5, including x=0, and the melt is gas atomized under conditions of melt temperature and atomizing gas pressure to form generally spherical powder particles. The hydrogen storage powder exhibits improved chemcial homogeneity as a result of rapid solidfication from the melt and small particle size that is more resistant to microcracking during hydrogen absorption/desorption cycling. A hydrogen storage component, such as an electrode for a battery or electrochemical fuel cell, made from the gas atomized hydrogen storage material is resistant to hydrogen degradation upon hydrogen absorption/desorption that occurs for example, during charging/discharging of a battery. Such hydrogen storage components can be made by consolidating and optionally sintering the gas atomized hydrogen storage powder or alternately by shaping the gas atomized powder and a suitable binder to a desired configuration in a mold or die.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [20.] A hydrogen storage component resistant to fracture comprising consolidated briefly annealed, atomized hydrogen storage powder particles having at least one of the atomic formula AB.sub.5 and AB.sub.5+x where A can be a lanthanide element and B can be one or more of Co, Ni, Fe, Cu,

[ We claim:] [20.] A hydrogen storage component resistant to fracture comprising consolidated briefly annealed, atomized hydrogen storage powder particles having at least one of the atomic formula AB.sub.5 and AB.sub.5+x where A can be a lanthanide element and B can be one or more of Co, Ni, Fe, Cu, Mn, Ti, Cr, Nb, Ta and a p-electron element including Al, Si, Ge, B, Sb, Ga, and Sn, where x can be from about -2.5 to about +2.5, and having a generally spherical as atomized morphology.