Effects of Ni-5%RE_<i>x</i>O_<i>y</i> Composite Additives on Electrochemical Hydrogen Storage Performances of Mg₂Ni

Abstract

The Ni-5%RExOy (CeO2, La2O3, Eu2O3) as composite additives, Mg2Ni-Ni-5%RExOy composites were prepared by the ball milling method. The effects of different additives on the structure, morphology, electrochemistry and kinetic properties of Mg2Ni alloy were studied systematically. The results show that composite additives can improve the proportion of amorphous and nanocrystalline structure of Mg2Ni alloy. The particle size is homogeneous but the agglomeration is observed in the sample with Ni-5%CeO2 additives. The composites with additives show higher maximum discharge capacity and better cycle stabilities. All of these three kinds of composite additives can improve the kinetic properties of the composites effectively, including optimizing the charge-transfer ability, the reversibility of the electrochemical reaction on the alloy surface, and enhancing the diffusion coefficients of H atoms in the bulk of alloy. Among these three kinds of additives, Ni-5%CeO2 additive shows the best catalysis effect on promoting the kinetic properties of the composites.

Keywords

• rare earth oxide
• Mg₂Ni
• electrochemical performance
• kinetic property