Hydrogen storage alloys and batteries containing heterogeneous powder particles

摘要

Non uniform heterogeneous composite powder particles for electrochemical uses, comprising at least two separate and distinct hydrogen storage alloys blended together. The first hydrogen storage alloys are materials with a compsn. of (MgxNi1-x)aMb where b = 0-30 at. %, a + b = 100 at. %, 25 = x = 75 at. %, M represents at least one modifier chosen from: Ni, Co, Mn, Al, Fe, Cu, Mo, W, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Sn, Th, Si, Zn, Li, Cd, Na, Pb, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Mn, and Ca, and where a second hydrogen storage alloy comprises components chosen from a group consisting of: Ti at 0 to 60%, Zr at 0 to 40%, V at 0 to 60%, Ni at 0 to 57%, Cr at 0 to 56%, Cu at 0-56%, Co at 0 to 15%, Mn at 0 to 20%, Al at 0 to 20%, Fe at 0 to 10%, Mo at 0 to 8%, La at 0 to 30% and Mm at 0 to 30%, the total number of components to equal to 100 atomic% of the second alloy and the second alloy encapsulates the first alloy. Also claimed are: (i) a method of making non-uniform heterogeneous composite particles as above for electrochemical hydrogen storage comprising forming a first component by mixing and melting an alloy of the first compsn., forming a second component of the second compsn., and encapsulating the first component with the second component; (ii) non-uniform heterogeneous composite powder particles for use as active material for a nickel metal hydride electrode comprising at least two from: single phase TiNi alloys, single phase LaNi5 alloys, single Mg based alloys, multiple-phase TiNi alloys, multiple-phase LaNi5 alloys, and multiple-phase Mg based alloys blended together; and (iii) an electrochemical hydrogen storage cell comprising non-uniform heterogeneous composite particles as above for hydrogen storage.