Hydrogen storage metal alloy, method for absorption and release of hydrogen using the said alloy and hydrogen fuel battery using the said method

摘要

A method for absorbing and releasing hydrogen comprises applying repeatedly hydrogen pressurization and depressurization to a hydrogen storage metal alloy of a body-centered cubic structure-type phase exerting a two-stage or inclined plateau characteristic in a hydrogen storage amount vs hydrogen pressure relation in an appropriate fashion to absorb and release hydrogen. At least at one stage during the release of hydrogen, the temperature (T 2 ) of the above-mentioned hydrogen storage metal alloy is made higher than the temperature (T 1 ) of the hydrogen storage metal alloy during the hydrogen absorption process (T 2 >T 1 ). This enables the release and utilization of occluded hydrogen at a low-pressure plateau region or an inclined plateau lower region.