Hydriding and Dehydriding Characteristics of As-Spun Nanocrystalline and Amorphous Mg<sub>20</sub>Ni<sub>10-x</sub>Mn<sub>x</sub> (x = 0-4) Alloys

Abstract

The nanocrystalline and amorphous Mg2Ni-type Mg20Ni10-xMnx (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4) alloys were synthesized by melt-spinning technique. The structures of the as-cast and spun alloys were characterized by XRD, SEM and HRTEM. The hydrogen absorption and desorption kinetics of the alloys were measured. The results show that the substitution of Mn for Ni, instead of changing the major phase Mg2Ni, leads to the formation of Mg and MnNi phases. No amorphous phase is detected in the as-spun Mn-free alloy, but the as-spun alloys substituted by Mn display the presence of an amorphous phase, suggesting that the substitution of Mn for Ni enhances the glass forming ability of the Mg2Ni-type alloy. The hydrogen absorption capacity of the as-cast alloys first increases and then decreases with the variation of the amount of Mn substitution. The hydrogen desorption capacity of the alloys markedly increases with growing Mn content.