Hydrogen storage metal alloy and production thereof
OwnerMasuo OKADA, Takahiro Kuriiwainventors
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Abstract
A process for producing hydrogen storage metal alloys having a body-centered cubic structure-type main phase enabling the adsorption and desorption of hydrogen is provided which comprises the steps of: (1) melting a starting alloy brought to a predetermined element ratio to form a uniform heat (melting step), (2) keeping the homogenized alloy heat at a temperature within a range just below the melting point of the alloy for a predetermined time (heat treatment), and (3) rapidly cooling the alloy after the heat treatment (quenching step).
Claims14
1-12. (canceled)
A process for producing a hydrogen storage metal alloy having a main phase with body-centered cubic structure wherein the body-centered cubic structure phase enables adsorption and desorption of hydrogen, comprising the steps of:
- (1) providing a starting mixture which has a composition of the following general composition formula:
- Ti(100-a-0.4b)Cr(a-0.6b)Mb (i)
- wherein M is vanadium (V), provided that 20≦a (at %)≦80, and 0<b (at %)<10;
- or
- Ti(100-a-0.4b)Cr(a-0.6b)Mb (ii)
- wherein M is at least a member selected from molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W), wherein 20≦a (at %)≦80, 0<b (at %)<5, and when M is W said metal alloy has a hydrogen storage capacity of at least 2.6 mass % or more;
- or
- Ti(100-a-0.4b)Cr(a-0.6b)V(b-c)Mc (iii)
- wherein M is at least a member selected from molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W), wherein 20≦a (at %)≦80, 0<b (at %)≦10, and 0<c (at %)<5;
- or
- Ti(100-a)Cra (iv)
- wherein 20≦a (at %)≦80;
- (2) repeatedly melting and solidifying the starting mixture to form a heated homogeneous alloy;
- (3) maintaining the heated homogeneous alloy at a temperature of at least 1400° C. within a range just below the melting point of the alloy for a predetermined time of from 1 minute to 2 hours;
- and
- (4) rapidly cooling the alloy from step (3) in iced water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.