B2-PHASE FORMATION AND HYDRIDING PROPERTIES OF (MG1-XALX)NI (X=0-SIMILAR-TO-0.5)

Crystalline forming abilities of the alloys (Mg1-xAlx)Ni were systemat ically examined by mechanical alloying of Mg-rich compositions ranging from x=0 to x approximate to 0.5. A crystalline phase with small crys tallites of B2(CsCl)-type structure was firstly found to be formed in the alloys with x=0.3, 0.4 and 0.5, even in the as-alloyed state. This crystalline phase was thermally stable, and was able to interstitiall y dissolve hydrogen atoms without any structural transformation. These results indicate that the alloys can be regarded as a new series of h ydrogen storage materials in the Mg-Ni system. (C) 1998 Elsevier Scien ce S.A.