Sung Nam Kwon

Hydrogen Storage Characteristics of Melt Spun Mg-23.5Ni-xCu Alloys and Mg-23.5Ni-2.5Cu Alloy Mixed with Nb2O5 and NbF5

Mg-23.5 wt%Ni-xwt%Cu (x=2.5, 5 and 7.5) samples for hydrogen storage were prepared by melt spinning and crystallization heat treatment from a Mg-23.5 wt%Ni-5 wt%Cu alloy synthesized by the gravity casting method. They were then ground under H2 to obtain a fine powder. Among these samples the Mg- 23.5Ni-2.5Cu sample had the highest hydriding and dehydriding rates after activation. The Mg-23.5Ni-2.5Cu sample absorbed 3.59 and 4.01 wt%H for 10 and 60 min, respectively, at 573K under 12 bar H2. The activated 88(87.5Mg-10Ni-2.5Cu)-5Nb2O5-7NbF5 sample absorbed 2.93 wt%H for 10 min, and 3.14 wt%H for 60 min at 573K under 12 bar H2.

Hydrogen storage properties of a Ni, Fe and Ti-added Mg-based alloy

Mg-5wt%Ni-2.5wt%Fe-2.5wt%Ti (referred to as Mg-5Ni-2.5Fe-2.5Ti) hydrogen storage material was prepared by reactive mechanical grinding, after which the hydrogen absorption and desorption kinetics were investigated using a Sievert-type volumetric apparatus. A nanocrystalline Mg-5Ni-2.5Fe-2.5Ti sample was prepared by reactive mechanical grinding and hydriding-dehydriding cycling. Analysis by the Williamson-Hall method from an XRD pattern of this sample after 10 hydriding-dehydriding cycles showed that the crystallite size of Mg was 37.0 nm and that its strain was 0.0407%. The activation of Mg-5Ni-2.5Fe-2.5Ti was completed after three hydriding-dehydriding cycles. The prepared Mg-5Ni-2.5Fe-2.5Ti sample had an effective hydrogen-storage capacity near 5 wt% H. The activated Mg-5Ni-2.5Fe-2.5Ti sample absorbed 4.37 and 4.90 wt% H for 5 and 60 min, respectively, at 593K under 12 bar H2, and desorbed 1.69, 3.81, and 4.85 wt% H for 5, 10 and 60 min, respectively, at 593K under 1.0 bar H2.

Characterization of a magnesium-based alloy after hydriding-dehydriding cycling (n=1–150)

The cycling performance of Mg-15 wt% Ni-5 wt% Fe2O3 alloy (named Mg-15Ni-5Fe2O3) was investigated by measuring the absorbed hydrogen quantity as a function of the number of cycles and by examining the variations in the phases and microstructures with cycling. The sample was hydriding-dehydriding cycled 150 times. The absorbed hydrogen quantity decreased as the number of cycles increased from the second to the 150th cycle. The Ha value varied almost linearly with the number of cycles. The maintainability of the absorbed hydrogen quantity was 73.8%, and the degradation rate was 0.007 wt%/cycle for the hydriding reaction time of 60 min. After the 9th hydriding-dehydriding cycle, Mg, Mg2Ni, MgO, and Fe were observed. After 150 cycles, the quantity of the MgO increased. The phases were analyzed using MDI JADE 6.5, a software system designed for XRD powder pattern processing, from the XRD pattern of the Mg-15Ni-5Fe2O3 alloy after the 9th hydriding-dehydriding cycle. The crystallite size and strain of the Mg were then estimated using the Williamson-Hall technique.

Preparation of Zn(BH4)2 and diborane and hydrogen release properties of Zn(BH4)2+xMgH2 (x=1, 5, 10, and 15)

Zn(BH4)2 was prepared by milling ZnCl2 and NaBH4 in a planetary ball mill under Ar atmosphere, and Zn(BH4)2+xMgH2 (x=1, 5, 10, and 15) samples were prepared. Diborane (B2H6) and hydrogen release characteristics of the Zn(BH4)2 and Zn(BH4)2+xMgH2 samples were studied. The samples synthesized by milling ZnCl2 and NaBH4 contained Zn(BH4)2 and NaCl, together with small amounts of ZnCl2 and NaBH4. We designated these samples as Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl). The weight loss up to 400 °C of the Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl) sample synthesized by milling 4 h was 11.2 wt%. FT-IR analysis showed that Zn(BH4)2 was formed in the Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl) samples. MgH2 was also milled in a planetary ball mill, and mixed with the Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl) synthesized by milling for 4 h in a mortar and pestle. The weight loss up to 400 °C of Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl)+MgH2 was 8.2 wt%, corresponding to the weight % of diborane and hydrogen released from the Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl)+MgH2 sample, with respect to the sample weight. DTA results of Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl)+xMgH2 showed that the decomposition peak of Zn(BH4)2 was at about 61 °C, and that of MgH2 was at about 370-389 °C.

Pressure-Composition Isotherms and Cycling Properties of Mg-xFe2O3-yNi Alloys

In this work, Mg-x wt% Fe2O3-y wt% Ni alloys were prepared by mechanical grinding under hydrogen (reactive mechanical grinding) using a planetary ball mill, and pressure-composition isotherms of the samples were subsequently obtained. By measuring the absorbed hydrogen quantity as a function of number of cycles, the cycling properties of a Mg-5 wt% Fe2O3-15 wt% Ni alloy was investigated. The Mg-10 wt% Fe2O3-5 wt% Ni alloy showed an equilibrium plateau pressure of 1.92 bar at 593 K and had a hydrogen storage capacity of 5.47 wt% at 593 K. The absorbed hydrogen quantity decreased as the number of cycles increased. The Ha value varied almost linearly with the number of cycles. The maintainability of absorbed hydrogen quantity at n = 150 was 73.8% for the hydriding reaction time of 60 min. (Received August 14, 2012).

Hydrogen Storage Property Comparison of Pure Mg and Iron (3) Oxide-Added Mg Prepared by Reactive Mechanical Grinding

The activation of Mg-10 wt%Fe2O3 was completed after one hydriding-dehydriding cycle. Activated Mg-10 wt%Fe2O3 absorbed 5.54 wt% H for 60 min at 593 K under 12 bar H2, and desorbed 1.04 wt% H for 60 min at 593 K under 1.0 bar H2. The effect of the reactive grinding on the hydriding and dehydriding rates of Mg was weak. The reactive grinding of Mg with Fe2O3 is believed to increase the H2-sorption rates by facilitating nucleation (by creating defects on the surface of the Mg particles and by the additive), by making cracks on the surface of Mg particles and reducing the particle size of Mg and thus by shortening the diffusion distances of hydrogen atoms. The added Fe2O3 and the Fe2O3 pulverized during mechanical grinding are considered to help the particles of magnesium become finer. Hydriding-dehydriding cycling is also considered to increase the H2-sorption rates of Mg by creating defects and cracks and by reducing the particle size of Mg.