Effects of Boron-Incorporation in a V-Containing Zr-Based AB2 Metal Hydride Alloy

Abstract

Abstract:In this study, boron, a metalloid element commonly used in semiconductor applications, was added in a V-containing Zr-based AB 2 metal hydride alloy. In general, as the boron content in the alloy increased, the high-rate dischargeability, surface exchange current, and double-layer capacitance first decreased and then increased whereas charge-transfer resistance and dot product of charge-transfer resistance and double-layer capacitance changed in the opposite direction. Electrochemical and gaseous phase characteristics of two boron-containing alloys, with the same boron content detected by the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer, showed significant variations in performances due to the difference in phase abundance of a newly formed tetragonal V 3 B 2 phase. This new phase contributes to the increases in electrochemical high-rate dischargeability, surface exchange current, charge-transfer resistances at room, and low temperatures. However, the V 3 B 2 phase does not contribute to the hydrogen storage capacities in either gaseous phase and electrochemical environment.

Research in Nickel/Metal Hydride Batteries 2017

“…In the Laves phase-based AB 2 family, doping effects of Pd [14] and B [15] to a C14-predominated alloy were studied and a comparison between C14-and C15-MH alloys was also presented [16]. The preliminary conclusions are both Pd and a newly formed V 3 B 2 phase improve the surface catalytic ability and C15 alloy is more suitable for high-rate application.…”