Electrochemical characteristics of Mg2-xAlxNi (0≤x≤0.5) alloys

The Mg-based hydrogen storage alloy Mg2-xAlxNi (0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.5) have been successfully synthesized by a diffusion method (DM). The structures of these alloys have been examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical characteristics have also been investigated, such as corrosion resistance and electrochemical capacity. It is found that a new phase appears when Al is added to the Mg-Ni system. It can be observed that there are a large number of defects on the alloy surface, which strongly affect its characteristics. The electrochemical capacity and cycle lives of Al-containing alloys increase strongly compared to the Al-free alloy. With increasing Al concentration in the alloys, the capacity also increases due to the increase of the amount of the new phase. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.