Hydrogen storage materials having a high density of non-conventional useable hydrogen storing sites

Claim 2

A high capacity hydrogen storage material characterized by a density of hydrogen storage sites of greater than 1.2×10 23 /cc.

Claim 3

The hydrogen storage material of claim 1, wherein the density of hydrogen storage sites is greater than 1.5×10 23 /cc.

Claim 4

The hydrogen storage material of claim 2, wherein said material is an electrochemical electrode.

Claim 5

The hydrogen storage material of claim 2, wherein said material is a gas phase storage material.

Claim 6

The hydrogen storage material of claim 1, wherein said density of storage sites are obtained from conventional storage sites and defect storage sites.

Claim 7

The hydrogen storage material of claim 1, wherein said density of storage sites are obtained from conventional storage sites and crystallite surface storage sites.

Claim 8

The hydrogen storage material of claim 1, wherein said density of storage sites are obtained from conventional storage sites, crystallite surface storage sites and defect storage sites.

Claim 9

An improved high capacity hydrogen storage material formed from an alloy is selected from the group consisting of: alloys represented by the formula ZrMn w V x M y Ni z , where M is Fe or Co and w, x, y, and z are mole ratios of the respective elements where 0.4≦w≦0.8, 0.1≦x≦0.3, 0≦y≦0.2, 1.0≦z≦1.5, and 2.0≦w+x+y+z≦2.4; alloys corresponding substantially to the formula LaNi 5 in which one of the components La or Ni is substituted by a metal M selected from Groups Ia, II, III, IV, and Va of the Periodic Table of the Elements other than lanthanides, in an atomic proportion which is higher than 0.1% and lower than 25%; alloys having the formula TiV 2-x Ni x , where x=0.2 to 0.6; alloys having the formula Ti a Zr b Ni c Cr d M z , where M is Al, Si, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Nb, Ag, or Pd, 0.1≦a≦1.4, 0.1≦t≦1.3, 0.25≦c≦1.95, 0.1≦d≦1.4, a+b+c+d=3, and 0≦x≦0.2; alloys having the formula ZrMo d Ni e where d=0.1 to 1.2 and e=1.1 to 2.5; alloys having the formula Ti 1-x Zr x Mn 2-y-z Cr y V z where 0.05≦x≦0.4, 0≦y≦1.0, and 0<z≦0.4; alloys having the formula LnM 5 where Ln is at least one lanthanide metal and M is at least one metal chosen from the group consisting of Ni and Co; alloys comprising at least one transition metal forming 40-75% by weight of said alloys chosen from Groups II, IV, and V of the Periodic System, and at least one additional metal, making up the balance of said electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy, alloyed with the at least one transitional metal, this additional metal chosen from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Fe, and Cr--Ni steel, and alloys comprising a main texture of an Mm--Ni system; and a plurality of compound phases where each compound phase is segregated in the main texture, and wherein the volume of each of the compound phases is less than about 10 μm 3 ; said improvement comprising in combination: the crystallite size is less than 200 Angstroms.

Claim 10

An improved high capacity hydrogen storage material formed from an alloy is selected from the group consisting of: alloys represented by the formula ZrMn w V x M y Ni z , where M is Fe or Co and w, x, y, and z are mole ratios of the respective elements where 0.4≦w≦0.8, 0.1≦x≦0.3, 0≦y≦0.2, 1.0≦z≦1.5, and 2.0≦w+x+y+z≦2.4; alloys corresponding substantially to the formula LaNi 5 in which one of the components La or Ni is substituted by a metal M selected from Groups Ia, II, III, IV, and Va of the Periodic Table of the Elements other than lanthanides, in an atomic proportion which is higher than 0.1% and lower than 25%; alloys having the formula TiV 2-x Ni x , where x=0.2 to 0.6; alloys having the formula Ti a Zr b Ni c Cr d M z , where M is Al, Si, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Nb, Ag, or Pd, 0.1≦a≦1.4, 0.1≦t≦1.3, 0.25≦c≦1.95, 0.1≦d≦1.4, a+b+c+d=3, and 0≦x≦0.2; alloys having the formula ZrMo d Ni e where d=0.1 to 1.2 and e=1.1 to 2.5; alloys having the formula Ti 1-x Zr x Mn 2-y-z Cr y V z where 0.05≦x≦0.4, 0≦y≦1.0, and 0<z≦0.4; alloys having the formula LnM 5 where Ln is at least one lanthanide metal and M is at least one metal chosen from the group consisting of Ni and Co; alloys comprising at least one transition metal forming 40-75% by weight of said alloys chosen from Groups II, IV, and V of the Periodic System, and at least one additional metal, making up the balance of said electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy, alloyed with the at least one transitional metal, this additional metal chosen from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Fe, and Cr--Ni steel, and alloys comprising a main texture of an Mm--Ni system; and a plurality of compound phases where each compound phase is segregated in the main texture, and wherein the volume of each of the compound phases is less than about 10 μm 3 ; said improvement comprising in combination: the crystallite size is less than 200 Angstroms.

Claim 11

The hydrogen storage material of claim 8, wherein the crystallite size is less than about 100 Angstroms.

Claim 12

The hydrogen storage material of claim 9, wherein said material is an electrochemical electrode.

Claim 13

The hydrogen storage material of claim 9, wherein said material is a gas phase hydrogen storage material.

Claim 14

A hydrogen storage material, said material characterized by a hydrogen storage capacity created by non-conventional hydrogen storage sites as well as conventional hydrogen storage sites, whereby said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites substantially contribute to the total hydrogen storage capacity of the alloy.

Claim 15

A hydrogen storage material, said material characterized by a hydrogen storage capacity created by non-conventional hydrogen storage sites as well as conventional hydrogen storage sites, whereby said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites substantially contribute to the total hydrogen storage capacity of the alloy.

Claim 16

The hydrogen storage material of claim 12, wherein said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites contribute to at least 5% of the total hydrogen storage capacity of the material.

Claim 17

The hydrogen storage material of claim 13, wherein said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites contribute to at least 10% of the total hydrogen storage capacity of the material.

Claim 18

The hydrogen storage material of claim 14, wherein said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites contribute to at least 20% of the total hydrogen storage capacity of the material.

Claim 19

The hydrogen storage material of claim 15, wherein said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites contribute to at least 33% of the total hydrogen storage capacity of the material.

Claim 20

The hydrogen storage material of claim 16, wherein said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites contribute to at least 50% of the total hydrogen storage capacity of the material.

Claim 21

The hydrogen storage material of claim 12, wherein said non-conventional hydrogen storage sites are created by rapidly solidifying a molten material and thereafter grinding the solidified material to a powder.

Claim 22

The hydrogen storage material of claim 18, wherein said molten material is a molten hydride forming alloy material.

Claim 23

The hydrogen storage material of claim 19, wherein said hydride forming alloy is a stoichiometric TiNi alloy.

Claim 24

The hydrogen storage material of claim 20, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes both hydride-forming elements and modifier elements.

Claim 25

The hydrogen storage material of claim 19, wherein said hydride forming alloy is a non-stoichiometric TiNi alloy.

Claim 26

The hydrogen storage material of claim 22, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes both hydride-forming elements and modifier elements.

Claim 27

The hydrogen storage material of claim 23, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes hydride-forming elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr and mixtures or alloys thereof and modifier elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Mo, Nb, Fe, Cu, Sn, Ag, Zn, Pd and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 28

The hydrogen storage material of claim 24, wherein said material further includes at least one glass forming element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, C, Si, P, S, Bi, In, and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 29

The hydrogen storage material of claim 19, wherein said hydride forming alloy is a stoichiometric LaNi 5 alloy.

Claim 30

The hydrogen storage material of claim 26, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes both hydride-forming elements and modifier elements.

Claim 31

The hydrogen storage material of claim 27, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes hydride-forming elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Mm and mixtures or alloys thereof and modifier elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Sn, Mo, V, Nb, Ta, Zn, Zr, Ti, Hf, W and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 32

The hydrogen storage material of claim 28, wherein said material further includes at least one glass forming element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, C, Si, P, S, Bi, In, Sb and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 33

The hydrogen storage material of claim 19, wherein said hydride forming alloy is a non-stoichiometric LaNi 5 alloy.

Claim 34

The hydrogen storage material of claim 30, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes both hydride-forming elements and modifier elements.

Claim 35

The hydrogen storage material of claim 31, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes hydride-forming elements selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Mm and mixtures or alloys thereof and modifier elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Sn, Mo, V, Nb, Ta, Zn, Zr, Ti, Hf, W and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 36

The hydrogen storage material of claim 32, wherein said material further includes at least one glass forming element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, C, Si, P, S, Bi, In, Sb and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 37

The hydrogen storage material of claim 21, wherein said hydride forming alloy includes hydride-forming elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr and mixtures or alloys thereof and modifier elements selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cr, Co, Mn, Mo, Nb, Fe, Cu, Sn, Ag, Zn, Pd and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 38

The hydrogen storage material of claim 34, wherein said material further includes at least one glass forming element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, C, Si, P, S, Bi, In, Sb and mixtures or alloys thereof.

Claim 39

The hydrogen storage material of claim 12, wherein said material is a compositionally or structurally disordered, multi-component material.

Claim 40

The hydrogen storage material of claim 36, wherein said material contains crystallites on the order of less than 200 Å.

Claim 41

The hydrogen storage material of claim 37, wherein said material contains crystallites on the order of less than 150 Å.

Claim 42

The hydrogen storage material of claim 38, wherein said material contains crystallites on the order of less than 125 Å.

Claim 43

The hydrogen storage material of claim 39, wherein said material contains crystallites on the order of less than 100 Å.

Claim 44

The hydrogen storage material of claim 40, wherein said material contains crystallites on the order of less than 50 Å.

Claim 45

The hydrogen storage material of claim 36, wherein said material is a multi-phase material containing both catalytic phases and hydrogen storage phases.

Claim 46

The hydrogen storage material of claim 42, wherein said catalytic phases and said hydrogen storage phases are intimately mixed in close proximity to each other.

Claim 47

The hydrogen storage material of claim 12, wherein said material includes substantially no phases which include hydride forming elements but do not form hydride storage sites.

Claim 48

The hydrogen storage material of claim 12, wherein said material includes substantially no phases which include hydrides with excessive bond strengths.

Claim 49

The hydrogen storage material of claim 12, wherein said material is formed from an alloy is selected from the group consisting of: alloys represented by the formula ZrMn w V x M y Ni z , where M is Fe or Co and w, x, y, and z are mole ratios of the respective elements where 0.4≦w≦0.8, 0.1≦x≦0.3, 0≦y≦0.2, 1.0≦z≦1.5, and 2.0≦w+x+y+z≦2.4; alloys corresponding substantially to the formula LaNi 5 in which one of the components La or Ni is substituted by a metal M selected from Groups Ia, II, III, IV, and Va of the Periodic Table of the Elements other than lanthanides, in an atomic proportion which is higher than 0.1% and lower than 25%; alloys having the formula TiV 2-x Ni x , where x=0.2 to 0.6; alloys having the formula Ti a Zr b Ni c Cr d M x , where M is Al, Si, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Nb, Ag, or Pd, 0.1≦a≦1.4, 0.1≦b≦1.3, 0.25≦c≦1.95, 0.1≦d≦1.4, a+b+c+d=3, and 0≦x≦0.2; alloys having the formula ZrMo d Ni e where d=0.1 to 1.2 and e=1.1 to 2.5; alloys having the formula Ti 1-x Zr x Mn 2-y-z Cr y V z where 0.05≦x≦0.4, 0≦y≦1.0, and 0<z≦0.4; alloys having the formula LnM 5 where Ln is at least one lanthanide metal and M is at least one metal chosen from the group consisting of Ni and Co; alloys comprising at least one transition metal forming 40-75% by weight of said alloys chosen from Groups II, IV, and V of the Periodic System, and at least one additional metal, making up the balance of said electrochemical hydrogen storage alloy, alloyed with the at least one transitional metal, this additional metal chosen from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Ag, Fe, and Cr--Ni steel; and alloys comprising a main texture of an Mm--Ni system; and a plurality of compound phases where each compound phase is segregate In the main texture, and wherein the volume of each of the compound phases is less than about 10 μm 3 .

Claim 50

A rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy ribbon, said ribbon characterized by a defect density of at least 5×10 21 /cc.

Claim 51

A rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy ribbon, said ribbon characterized by a defect density of at least 5×10 21 /cc.

Claim 52

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy ribbon of claim 47, wherein said defect density is at least 1×10 22 /cc.

Claim 53

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy ribbon of claim 47, wherein said defect density is at least 5×10 22 /cc.

Claim 54

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy ribbon of claim 47, further characterized by a crystallite size of less than 200 Å.

Claim 55

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy ribbon of claim 47, further characterized by a multi-phase structure containing both catalytic phases and hydrogen storage phases.

Claim 56

A rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy, said alloy having a the composition: (Ovonic Base Alloy) a M b where Ovonic Base Alloy represents an Ovonic alloy that contains 0.1 to 60 atomic percent Ti, 0.1 to 50 atomic percent Zr, 0 1 to 60 atomic percent V, 0.1 to 60 atomic percent Ni, and 0.1 to 56 atomic percent: Cr, as described above; a is at least 70 atomic percent; M represents at least one modifier chosen from the group consisting of Co, Mn, Al, Fe, W, La, Mo, Cu, Mg, Ca, Nb, Si, and Hf; b is 0 to 30 atomic percent; b>0; and a+b=100 atomic percent; said alloy being characterized by a 5% greater hydrogen storage capacity than the same material in cast form.

Claim 57

A rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy, said alloy having a the composition: (Ovonic Base Alloy) a M b where Ovonic Base Alloy represents an Ovonic alloy that contains 0.1 to 60 atomic percent Ti, 0.1 to 50 atomic percent Zr, 0 1 to 60 atomic percent V, 0.1 to 60 atomic percent Ni, and 0.1 to 56 atomic percent: Cr, as described above; a is at least 70 atomic percent; M represents at least one modifier chosen from the group consisting of Co, Mn, Al, Fe, W, La, Mo, Cu, Mg, Ca, Nb, Si, and Hf; b is 0 to 30 atomic percent; b>0; and a+b=100 atomic percent; said alloy being characterized by a 5% greater hydrogen storage capacity than the same material in cast form.

Claim 58

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy of claim 52, wherein said alloy has a 10% greater hydrogen storage capacity than the same material in cast form.

Claim 59

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy of claim 53, wherein said alloy has a 20% greater hydrogen storage capacity than the same material in cast form.

Claim 60

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy of claim 54, wherein said alloy has a 33% greater hydrogen storage capacity than the same material in cast form.

Claim 61

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy of claim 55, wherein said alloy has a 50% greater hydrogen storage capacity than the same material in cast form.

Claim 62

The rapidly solidified hydrogen storage alloy of claim 52, wherein said alloy has the composition, in atomic percent: 0.5-2.0% V; 7.0-8.5% Cr; 6.0-8.0% Ti; 20-35% Zr, 0.01-0.5% Fe; 15-25% Mn; 1.5-3.0% Co; 25-40% Ni; and 0.01-2.0% Mg.