Electrochemical cell comprising a hydride-forming intermetallic compound
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsRobert E. F. Einerhand, Gerardus J. M. Lippits, Johannes L. C. Daams, Petrus H. L. Notten
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Abstract
A rechargeable electrochemical cell having a negative electrode, whose electrochemically active material comprises an intermetallic compound having the CaCu.sub.5 -structure which forms a hydride with hydrogen, obtains a high loadability and a long life cycle by virtue of the fact that the intermetallic compound comprises a non-stoichiometric metastable phase. The intermetallic compound is, preferably, of the type having the composition AB.sub.m, where m exceeds 5.4.
Claims8
A method of manufacturing an electrochemically active material comprising an intermetallic compound having the CaCu.sub.5 -structure which compound forms a hydride with hydrogen and which compound comprises a metastable phase having a composition of the formula AB.sub.m, wherein m exceeds 5.1, A is Mischmetall or at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Ti, Hf, Zr, Ca, Th, La and the other rare earth metals, the overall atomic quantity of the elements Y, Ti, Mb and Zr being less than 40% of A and B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu, Pd, Fe, Mn and Si, said method comprising mixing and melting the quantities of the components A and B required for a melt of said compound, cooling the resultant melt first to a homogeneity region in which the composition of the formula AB.sub.m is located and then cooling said melt rapidly at a rate such that a phase of the composition of the formula AB.sub.m that is metastable at room temperature is formed.
A method of manufacturing an electrochemically active material comprising an intermetallic compound having the CaCu.sub.5 -structure which compound forms a hydride with hydrogen and which compound comprises a metastable phase having a composition of the formula AB.sub.m, wherein m exceeds 5.4, A is Mischmetall or at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Ti, Hf, Zr, Ca, Th, La and the other rare earth metals, the overall atomic quantity of the elements T, Ti, Mb and Zr being less than 40% of A and B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Cu, Pd and Si, said method comprising mixing and melting the quantities of the components A and B required for a melt of said compound, cooking the resultant melt first to a homogeneity region in which the composition of the formula AB.sub.m is located and then cooling said melt rapidly at a rate such that a phase of the composition of the formula AB.sub.m that is metastable at room temperature is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.