A New Application of Modified Mg-Based Mg2Ni Hydrogen Storage Alloy as Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell Anode Catalyst
摘要
The goal is to enhance the performance of Mg-based Mg2Ni hydrogen storage alloy and find a new application way for them; the Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloy was obtained by mixing and remelting Mg2Ni alloy and AB5-type alloy at the ratio of 1:1. Then, the Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloy was subjected to mechanical ball milling treatment to obtain a series of Mg2Ni/AB5 alloys with different ball milling times. The series of Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloys obtained from the preparation were employed in direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFC) as anode catalysts to study their electrocatalytic performance toward BH4-. The effects of ball milling time on the structure and properties of the Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloys were analyzed using XRD, SEM/EDS, and electrochemical testing methods. The research results indicate that the electrochemical and catalytic properties of the Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloy are obviously better than those of the Mg2Ni alloy. For Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloys, ball milling modifies the phase structure of the alloy to a certain extent, but does not modify the phase composition of composite alloy. Moreover, the alloy has a tendency to shift to nanocrystalline or amorphous for longer ball milling time. The electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of the Mg2Ni/AB5 composite alloy also showed a pattern of first increase and later decrease. The Mg2Ni/AB5 alloy after ball milling for 10 h showed the best electrocatalytic properties and the best comprehensive electrochemical properties. Meanwhile, the electrocatalytic performance of the Mg2Ni/AB5 alloy after ball milling for 10 h as an anode catalyst for DBFC is comparable to that of precious metal catalysts.