Method for making hydride electrodes and hydride batteries suitable for

Abstract

This invention provides a method to make a hydrogen storage hydride electrode and a hydride battery, particularly a sealed type, suitable for various temperatures. The battery, according to this invention, is composed of a container, a positive electrode, a negative electrode suitable for various temperatures comprising of at least two hydrogen storage electrode materials and/or their hydrides, a separator positioned between the positive and negative electrodes, and an electrolyte in the container and in contact with the positive and negative electrodes and the separator. The negative electrode is a hydrogen storage hydride electrode which is composed of at least two hydrogen storage electrode alloys having compositions represented by A.sub.a B.sub.b C.sub.c . . . and A'.sub.a' B'.sub.b' C'.sub.c' . . . respectively; where the set of elements: A, B, C, . . . and the set of elements: A', B', C', . . . , both are consisting of 6 to 80 at. % of nickel, preferably 24-55 at. % nickel; and at least four other elements chosen from the group consisting of Mg, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Al, Y, Zr, Nb, Pd, Ag, Mo, Ca, Si, C, Cu, Ta, Ca, rare earth metals, B, Hf, Sc, Zn, Sb, W, Sn, N, O, Ge, Ga, the alkali metals, P, and S; the sets of atomic mole ratio a, b, c . . . and a', b', c', . . . are defined by the heat of hydride formation H.sub.h and H'.sub.h respectively; where H.sub.h and H'.sub.h are in a range of between -2.85 and -10.50 Kcal/mole H, preferably between -3.85 and -8.50 Kcal/mole H; the difference between the heat of hydride formation H.sub.h and H'.sub.h being in the range between 0.1 and 5.0 Kcal/mole H, preferably between 1.0 and 3.0 Kcal/mole H.