A. Zuttel et al., BULK AND SURFACE-PROPERTIES OF CRYSTALLINE AND AMORPHOUS ZR-36(V0.33NI0.66)(64) ALLOY AS ACTIVE ELECTRODE MATERIAL, Journal of alloys and compounds, 266(1-2), 1998, pp. 321-326
The electrochemical hydrogen absorption/desorption behavior of a cryst
alline and an amorphous Zr-36(V0.33Ni0.67)(64) alloy sample was invest
igated. Electrodes made of the crystalline sample show a much lower re
sistance and consequently a higher discharge capacity compared to the
electrodes made of the amorphous alloy. The XPS surface analysis did n
ot explain the difference, we observed almost exactly the same depth p
rofile on both samples. However the surface of the activated alloy com
pared to the non-activated was drastically changed. The oxide layer on
an amorphous alloy seems to grow in a much more compact and stable st
ructure than the oxide layer on a crystalline sample. (C) 1998 Elsevie
r Science S.A.