Magnesium-based hydrogen-storage materials: Solvated Mg-Ni by metal vapour deposition

Abstract

The solvated alloy Mg-Ni (88–94 wt.% magnesium; 0.6–6 wt.% nickel), prepared by dispersing metal atoms into a frozen organic matrix by metal vapour deposition, exhibited exceptionally active hydrogenation capability under mild conditions. Organic species retained in the metal clustering process stabilize the small particles by acting as modifiers and prevent them from sintering. In solvated Mg-Ni, small nickel particles in the 1–4 nm diameter range were highly dispersed on magnesium particles with large surface areas (94–108 m 2g − 1). The hydride formation which was accelerated enormously by dispersed nickel is probably controlled initially by surface reactions.