Synthesis and electrochemical properties of high-energy ball-milled Laves phase (Zr,Ti)(V,Mn,Cr), alloys with nickel powder

The relations between the structural and electrochemical properties of two nanocrystalline alloys, including: ZrV2/Ni, which has the cubic C15 type structure and Zr0.5Ti0.5V0.8Mn0.8Cr0.4/Ni, which has the hexagonal C14 type structure, have been investigated. We have found that electrochemical activities of ZrV2 and Zr0.5Ti0.5V0.8Mn0.8Cr0.4 can be stimulated by high-energy ball-milling (HEBM) of the precursor alloy powders with Ni powder. XRD analysis indicate that there is a high degree of nickel dispersion in HEBM alloy particles. This improves the electrochemical properties of the studied powders. In nanocrystalline Zr0.5Ti0.5V0.8Mn0.8Cr0.4/Ni material a discharge capacity of 214 mA h g(-1) has been measured. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.