Microstructure and hydrogen storage properties of Mg-Ni-Ce alloys with a long-period stacking ordered phase.

On the basis of catalytic actions of transition metals and rare earth metals on Mg-based hydrogen storage alloys and aiming at alleviating the adverse influence of Mg oxidation, Mg-Ni-Ce alloys with different Ni and Ce contents were prepared by near equilibrium solidification. A new 18R-type long-period stacking ordered phase (LPSO) was formed coherently with Mg, Ni-substituted Mg 12 Ce and Mg 2 Ni in Mg-rich Mg-Ni-Ce ternary alloys. Distinct from the reported LPSO structures in other Mg-based alloys, in which the LPSO structures were fundamentally long period stacking variants of hexagonal close-packed structure of Mg, the LPSO structure found in the present work was a variant of Mg 12 Ce. Nanocrystalline alloys were obtained by high-energy ball milling the as-cast alloys. Nanocrystals of Mg, Mg 2 Ni and Mg 12 Ce with grain size in the range of 3–5 nm were observed in ball milled samples. The activation performance, isothermal hydrogenation behavior and anti-oxidation properties of the ball milled samples were systematically investigated and corresponding mechanisms were discussed based on detailed microstructural characteristics. CeH 2.73 was formed after hydrogenation and spontaneously transformed into CeO 2 during air exposure. The anti-oxidation properties of Mg-based hydrogen storage alloy were substantially improved with the addition of Ce by forming CeH 2.73 /CeO 2 composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]