Hydrogen occluding alloy and electrode made of the alloy

A hydrogen occluding alloy comprising:

• 25 to 45 weight % Zr+Hf, wherein said Hf does not exceed 4 weight %,
• 1 to 12 weight % Ti,
• 10 to 20 weight % Mn, 2 to 12 weight % V,
• 0.6 to 5 weight % elemental rare earth,
• unavoidable impurities,
• and at least 25 weight % Ni,
• said alloy comprising at least three phases, one of which is a flaky phase.

A process for producing a hydrogen occluding alloy, comprising:

• (a) melting a composition comprising:
• 25 to 45 weight % Zr, 1 to 12 weight % Ti,
• 10 to 20 weight % Mn, 2 to 12 weight % V,
• 0.6 to 5 weight % elemental rare earth,
• unavoidable impurities,
• and at least 25 weight % Ni, and
• (b) solidifying said composition, thereby obtaining an alloy comprising at least three phases.

A process for producing a hydrogen occluding alloy, comprising:

• (a) melting a composition comprising:
• 25 to 45 weight % Zr, 1 to 12 weight % Ti,
• 10 to 20 weight % Mn, 2 to 12 weight % V,
• 0.6 to 5 weight % elemental rare earth,
• unavoidable impurities,
• and at least 25 weight % Ni, and
• (b) solidifying said composition, thereby obtaining an alloy comprising at least three phases, said at least three phases comprising:
• (1) a main phase which constitutes a matrix of said alloy, said main phase having a grain boundary and being made of a Zr--Ni--Mn based alloy,
• (2) a dispersed granular phase made of a rare earth elements--Ni alloy, distributed along said grain boundary of the main phase, and
• (3) a flaky phase which is made of a Ni--Zr alloy attached to said dispersed granular phase and intermittently distributed along said grain boundary.

Hydrogen occluding alloy comprising at least three phases, comprising:

• (1) a main phase which constitutes a matrix of said alloy, said main phase having a grain boundary and being made of a Zr--Ni--Mn based alloy,
• (2) a dispersed granular phase made of a rare earth elements-Ni alloy, distributed along said grain boundary of the main phase, and
• (3) a flaky phase which is made of a Ni--Zr alloy attached to said dispersed granular phase and intermittently distributed along said grain boundary
• wherein said alloy is obtained by a process comprising
• (a) melting a composition comprising:
• 25 to 45 weight % Zr, 1 to 12 weight % Ti,
• 10 to 20 weight % Mn, 2 to 12 weight % V,
• 0.6 to 5 weight % elemental rare earth,
• unavoidable impurities,
• and at least 25 weight % Ni, and
• (b) solidifying said composition,
• said composition comprising sufficient Zr to provide said flaky phase, and sufficient rare earth to provide said dispersed granular phase.