Amorphous metal alloy compositions for reversible hydrogen storage

A reversible hydrogen storage structure having an active hydrogen absorption surface layer and a bulk hydrogen storage material, said active surface layer comprising a substantially amorphous metal alloy of the formula:

• A.sub.a M.sub.b M'.sub.c
• wherein
• A is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Hg, Pd and Pt;
• M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Pb, Ru, Cu, Cr, Mo, Si, W, Ni, Al, Sn, Co, Fe, Zn, Cd, Ga and Mn;
• and
• M' is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ca, Mg, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf, Nb, V, Ta and the rare earths;
• and
• wherein
• a ranges from greater than zero to about 0.80;
• b ranges from greater than zero to about 0.70;
• and
• c ranges from about 0.08 to about 0.95;
• said bulk storage material comprising a crystalline reversible hydrogen storage material of the formula:
• M.sub.f M'.sub.g
• wherein
• M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Mn, Cr and Co;
• and
• M' is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of V and Zr;
• and
• wherein
• f ranges from about 0.26 to about 0.60;
• and
• g ranges from about 0.40 to about 0.74, and
• with the proviso that said M and M' of said surface layer are the same metals as said M and M' of said bulk storage material.