Microstructure and hydrogen storage properties of V48Fe12Ti15-xCr25Alx (x=0, 1) alloys.

The microstructure and hydrogen storage characteristics of V 48 Fe 12 Ti 15- x Cr 25 Al x (x = 0, 1) alloys prepared by vacuum arc melting were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and pressure–composition isotherm measurements. It was confirmed that all of the alloys comprise a BCC phase, a Ti-rich phase, and a TiFe phase. Al as a substitute for part of the Ti content caused an increase of lattice parameters of the BCC phase and of the equilibrium pressures of hydrogen desorption, but decrease of the hydrogen storage capacities. The kinetic mechanism of the hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of the alloys was investigated by the classical Johnson–Mehl–Avrami equation. The reaction enthalpies (Δ H) for the dehydrogenation of alloys without and with Al were calculated by the Van't Hoff equation based on the PCI measurement data, which are 30.12 ± 0.14 kJ/mol and 28.02 ± 0.46 kJ/mol, respectively. The thermal stability of the metal hydride was measured by differential scanning calorimetry. The hydrogen desorption activation energies were calculated using the Kissinger method as 79.41 kJ/mol and 83.56 kJ/mol for x = 0 and 1, respectively. The results suggest that the substitution of titanium with aluminum improves the thermodynamic properties of hydrogen storage and reduces the kinetic performance of hydrogen desorption. • The V 48 Fe 12 Ti 15- x Cr 25 Al x (x =0, 1) alloys were prepared by vacuum arc melting. • The alloys consist of BCC phase, Ti-rich phase and TiFe phase. • The alloys have higher hydrogen desorption rate of about 88%. • The substitution of Ti with Al improves the thermodynamic properties. • The substitution of Ti with Al reduces the kinetic performance of dehydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]