Catalytic effect of additional metallic phases on the hydrogen absorption behavior of a Zr-Based alloy

The electrochemical hydrogen absorption of electrodes containing Zr0.9Ti0.1(Ni0.5Mn0.25Cr0.20V0.05)2 is studied in alkaline media by monitoring the activation and discharge capacity along charge-discharge cycling.The considered alloy is tested in both as melted and annealed condition in order to investigate the catalytic effect of small amounts of micro segregated secondary phases of the Zr-Ni system. Since these catalytic phases are only present in the as melted alloys, tests are also carried out using a composite material elaborated from powders of the annealed alloy with the addition of 18 wt.% of the suspected catalytic phases, melted separately.The hydrogen absorption-desorption behavior for the different cases is discussed and correlated with the metallurgical characterization of the materials.The catalytic effects are studied employing cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance techniques. The results are analyzed in terms of a developed physicochemical model