Phase equilibria of Ce–Mg–Ni ternary system at 673 K and hydrogen storage properties of selected alloy

Abstract

The isothermal section of Ce–Mg–Ni ternary system at 673 K was constructed through thermodynamic calculation coupled with experimental verification. Under guidance of the phase diagram in Mg-rich corner, Ce2.92Mg91.84Ni5.24 was designed to investigate its hydrogen storage properties. Moreover, the mechanism of α-to-β (α: diluted phase and β: hydride) phase transformation in the Ce2.92Mg91.84Ni5.24–H2 system was elucidated by in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction (SR-PXRD). The alloy showed a good activated ability and displayed two plateaus in the pressure–composition–temperature curves. The kinetic mechanisms of hydriding and dehydriding reactions were analyzed by Chou model. The rate-controlling steps were the diffusion for the initial stage in hydriding reaction and the surface penetration for dehydriding reaction. SR-PXRD patterns indicated that the activated Ce2.92Mg91.84Ni5.24 gradually transformed into CeH2.51, (Mg) (with solid solution of H atoms) and Mg2NiH0.3, finally transformed into CeH2.51, MgH2 and Mg2NiH4 during the first hydriding process.