Peculiarities of structural state and hydrogen storage properties of Ti–Zr–Ni based intermetallic compounds

Abstract Structural states of the Ti–Zr–Ni based melt-spun ribbons have been investigated by means of the X-ray diffraction analysis. The ribbon structural state was found to be strongly affected by the production conditions. A small amount of Si (0.2–0.3 at.%) in the Ti–Zr–Ni alloy leads to the formation of an amorphous or a mixed amorphous-quasicrystalline state in the ribbons produced at the different hardening rates. The amorphous-quasicrystalline structural state of the ribbons is stable during annealing up to temperatures of 400 ° C but some changes in its parameters take place. The uncoated by Pd amorphous and amorphous-quasicrystalline Ti–Zr–Ni ribbons have the property of absorbing a large amount of hydrogen. Changes in the amorphous and quasicrystalline subsystems have a reversible character: the structural states of the ribbons after natural dehydrogenation practically fully returns to the initial one.