EFFECTS OF MECHANICAL ALLOYING ON THE HYDROGEN STORAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF MG-XWT-PERCENT NI (X=0, 5, 10, 25 AND 55) MIXTURES

Magnesium is alloyed mechanically with nickel in a planetary mill. Magnesium without nickel is also treated under the same conditions. The hydriding and dehydriding properties of these materials are investigated. The Mg2Ni phase develops in the mechanically alloyed Mg-xwt % Ni (x = 5, 10, 25 and 55) mixtures along with hydriding-dehydriding cycles. The principal effects of mechanical alloying and hydriding-dehydriding cycling are the augmentation in the active nucleation sites and the decrease in the effective particle size. The effects of mechanical alloying and hydriding-dehydriding cycling on the hydriding and dehydriding reactions of Mg in the mixtures are most important in Mg-25wt % Ni under our experimental conditions.