Enhanced hydriding kinetics of Mg-10Â at% Al composite by forming Al12Mg17 during hydriding combustion synthesis

Mg-based alloys are widely considered as promising materials for hydrogen storage. However, owing to the high chemical activity of Mg, the surface of Mg powder is always covered with a layer of close packed MgO, which can retard the hydrogenation of Mg. In this paper, 10 at% Al was added to accelerate the hydriding kinetics of Mg through tabletting and grinding treatments. After heating to 420 °C and subsequent holding at 340 °C for 120 min under 1.5 MPa hydrogen pressure, the Mg-10 at% Al composite could absorb 6.34 wt% H2 in the process of hydriding combustion synthesis (HCS) while the same treated pure Mg powder was barely hydrided. Upon heating from room temperature to 420 °C, Al alloyed with Mg to form an Al12Mg17 phase on the surface of Mg particles and the newly formed alloy was oxide-free, which would react with H2 when the temperature decreased to 340 °C. Then hydrogen was able to get into the inner part of the Mg particle from the former Al12Mg17 sites where the MgO shell had been broken in the alloying period to further react with unhydrided Mg.