Hydrogen absorption and storage in quasicrystalline and related Ti-Zr-Ni alloys

Detailed studies of the absorption and storage of hydrogen by icosahedral quasicrystalline Ti-Zr-Ni are presented. Two different absorption methods, one at room temperature and another requiring elevated temperatures, successfully introduce hydrogen into Ti-Zr-Ni alloys. Absorption is accompanied by an expansion of the quasilattice, and results correlating the rate of expansion to the hydrogen concentration are presented. The absorption rates suggest that a surface oxide layer acts as a barrier to hydrogen absorption and this is confirmed by surface depth profiling studies made with scanning Auger spectroscopy. Desorption studies also indicate some hydrogen cycling ability for the quasicrystal. The hydrogen storage ability of the quasicrystal is compared to, and found to be better than, those of the related phases in this system.