Influence of oxygen on hydrogen storage and electrode properties for micro-designed V-based battery alloys

The influence of oxygen on micro-structure, hydrogen storage and electrode properties were investigated for the alloy V3TiNi0.56Co0.14Nb0.047Ta0.047. Since titanium in the alloy worked as a deoxidizer to form the oxide phase, the alloy preserved a large hydrogen capacity in the oxygen concentration range below 5000 mass ppm. More oxygen than 6000 mass ppm caused a remarkable contraction of the unit cell of the vanadium-based main phase and then a decrease in the hydrogen storage capacity. The contraction was accompanied by the precipitation of the Ti-based oxide phase. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.