Mg-Ni hydrogen storage composite having high storage capacity and excellent room temperature kinetics

Abstract

A hydrogen storage alloy having an atomically engineered microstructure that both physically and chemically absorbs hydrogen. The atomically engineered microstructure has a predominant volume of a first microstructure which provides for chemically absorbed hydrogen and a volume of a second microstructure which provides for physically absorbed hydrogen. The volume of the second microstructure may be at least 5 volume % of atomically engineered microstructure. The atomically engineered microstructure may include porous micro-tubes in which the porosity of the micro-tubes physically absorbs hydrogen. The micro-tubes may be at least 5 volume % of the atomically engineered microstructure. The micro-tubes may provide proton conduction channels within the bulk of the hydrogen storage alloy and the proton conduction channels may be at least 5 volume % of the atomically engineered microstructure.

1 . A hydrogen storage alloy comprising having an atomically engineered microstructure that both physically and chemically absorbs hydrogen.  
     
     
         2 . The hydrogen storage alloy of  claim 1 , wherein said atomically engineered microstructure has a predominant volume of a first microstructure which provides for chemically absorbed hydrogen and a volume of a second microstructure which provides for physically absorbed hydrogen.  
     
     
         3 . The hydrogen storage alloy of  claim 2 , wherein said volume of said second microstructure comprises at least 5 volume % of said atomically engineered microstructure.  
     
     
         4 . The hydrogen storage alloy of  claim 1 , wherein said atomically engineered microstructure includes porous micro-tubes, whereby the porosity of said micro-tubes physically absorbs hydrogen.  
     
     
         5 . The hydrogen storage alloy of  claim 4 , wherein said micro-tubes comprise at least 5 volume % of said atomically engineered microstructure.  
     
     
         6 . The hydrogen storage alloy of  claim 1 , wherein said atomically engineered microstructure includes micro-tubes, and said micro-tubes provide proton conduction channels within the bulk of said hydrogen storage alloy.  
     
     
         7 . The hydrogen storage alloy of  claim 6 , wherein said proton conduction channels comprise at least 5 volume % of said atomically engineered microstructure.