Surface doping of the LaMg3 alloy with nano-cobalt particles for promoting the hydrogenation properties through magnetron sputtering

Abstract Surface doping of rare earth-magnesium based alloy with cobalt nano-scale particles through the combination of ball milling and magnetron sputtering methods are introduced in the research. The generation process of the doped sample is composed of three components: alloy surface roughness, cobalt particles doped on the surface and the formation of surface modification coatings. For the hydrogen storage performances, the reversible capacity and cycle stability of the doped sample are improved significantly. Cobalt based intermetallics on the alloy surface can be considered as a catalyst in the hydrogen absorption and desorption process.