Hydrogen storage in titanium-magnesium-nickel mixtures

The hydrogen interaction properties of mechanically alloyed mixtures of Ti, Mg, and Ni have been shown to be strongly dependent on the time and energy of ball milling. Mixtures ball milled at a ball to powder ratio (by mass) of 20:1 were able to absorb 3-4 wt% hydrogen. Mixtures ball milled at a ball to powder ratio of 70:1 were able to absorb up to I I wt% hydrogen. The dependence of hydrogen uptake on ball milling time and energy is shown to be related to the microstructural morphology of the ball milled powders. The original Mg powder particles were heavily deformed by the ball milling process and contained nano-sized inclusions of both Ti and Ni at the surface. The higher energy ball milled samples showed a more refined microstructure and a greater hydrogen capacity. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between the amount of hydrogen uptake and the size of inclusions at the surface of the particles.