ABSTRACT
The application of ZrV2 alloy materials in batteries has been limited due to poor absorption/desorption kinetics in addition to a complicated activation procedure. Application of ZrV2 as hydrogen storage alloy focused also on the electronic structure and its modification by Ni impurities. It has been shown that the electrochemical properties of hydrogen storage alloys, which do not contain nickel, can be stimulated by high-energy ball-milling of the precursor alloys with a small amount of nickel powders. The use of catalysts has been proved to be an important pathway to enhance surface kinetics for hydrogen storage alloys. Carbon nanotubes have been found to exhibit excellent catalytic effects on the hydrogen sorption properties of hydrogen storage composites. The electrochemical properties are closely linked to the size and crystallographic perfection of the constituent grains, which in turn are a function of the processing or grain refinement method used to prepare the hydrogen storage alloys.
