Hydrogen occluding alloy and electrode made of the alloy

摘要

This invention provides a hydrogen occluding alloy having a composition comprising, by wt%, 25% to 45% of Zr, 1% to 12% of Ti, 10% to 20% of Mn, 2% to 12% of V, 0.5% to 5% of at least one rare earth element, optionally 0.1% to 4% of Hf, one or more selected from hydrogen, hydrogen+oxygen, and oxygen, and a balance being Ni (25% or more of Ni) and unavoidable impurities; having a structure comprising: a phase made of a hydrogenated-product, dispersedly distributed in a matrix phase made of a Zr-Ni-Mn based alloy, the hydrogenated-product mainly comprising a rare earth element-Ni type alloy and a rare earth element hydride; numerous cracks formed at the time when the hydrogenated-product phase is generated; and the phase made of a hydrogenated-product being exposed on the surfaces of the cracks, as well as electrodes made of the alloy.