Hydriding capacities

In addition to offering convenient and effective removal of boro-hydride-reducible impurities, this system offers several unique advantages over sodium borohydride. First, the polymer-bound borohydride is remarkably stable in alcohols (with the exception of methanol). Second, since the hydride capacity is on the order of 12 meq of hydride per gram of dry resin, a small amount of polymer-bound borohydride will remove trace carbonyl impurities from a substantial volume of alcohol. Third and most importantly, no new contaminants such as Na+ or B02" are added to the alcohol since the borate ion remains bonded to the resin. 

Hydrogen-storage alloys (18,19) are commercially available from several companies in the United States, Japan, and Europe. A commercial use has been developed in rechargeable nickel—metal hydride batteries which are superior to nickel—cadmium batteries by virtue of improved capacity and elimination of the toxic metal cadmium (see BATTERIES, SECONDARYCELLS-ALKALINe). Other uses are expected to develop in nonpolluting internal combustion engines and fuel cells (qv), heat pumps and refrigerators, and electric utility peak-load shaving. 

The aimual production value of small, sealed nickel—cadmium cells is over 1.2 biUion. However, environmental considerations relating to cadmium are necessitating changes in the fabrication techniques, as well as recovery of failed cells. Battery system designers are switching to nickel —metal hydride (MH) cells for some appHcations, typically in "AA"-si2e cells, to increase capacity in the same volume and avoid the use of cadmium. 

From these data, the hydride cells contain approximately 30—50% more capacity than the Ni—Cd cells. The hydride cells exliibit somewhat lower high rate capabiUty and higher rates of self-discharge than nickel—cadmium cells. Life is reported to be 200—500 cycles. Though not yet in full production it has been estimated that these cells should be at a cost parity to nickel—cadmium cells on an energy basis. 

Figure 20 shows the charge-discharge characteristics of the AA-size nickel-metal hydride battery in comparison with the nickel-cadmium battery produced by Sanyo Electric. Its capacity density is 1.5 to 1.8 higher than that of nickel-cadmium batteries. 

Cobalt is invariably present in commercial MHt battery electrodes. It tends to increase hydride thermodynamic stability and inhibit corrosion. However, it is also expensive and substantially increases battery costs thus, the substitution of Co by a lower/cost metal is desirable. Willems and Buschow [40] attributed reduced corrosion in LaNi 5 vCoi (x= 1 -5) to low Vn. Sakai et al. [47 J noted that LaNi25Co25 was the most durable of a number of substituted LaNi5 iCoi alloys but it also had the lowest storage capacity. 

The theoretical hmit of 5.4% (NaAlH4+2 mol% TiN) for the two subsequent decomposition reactions is in both cases only observed in the first cycle. The reason for the decrease in capacity is stiU unknown and litde is known about the mechanism of alanate activation via titanium dopants in the sohd state. Certainly, the ease of titanium hydride formation and decomposition plays a key role in this process, but whether titanium substitution in the alanate or the formation of a titanium aluminum alloys, i.e., finely dispersed titanium species in the decomposition products is crucial, is stiU under debate [41]. 

Nowadays, such hydride electrodes are used widely to make alkaline storage batteries which in their design are similar to Ni-Cd batteries but exhibit a considerably higher capacity than these. These two types of storage battery are interchangeable, since the potential of the hydride electrode is similar to that of the cadmium electrode. The metal alloys used to prepare the hydride electrodes are multicomponent alloys, usually with a high content of rare-earth elements. These cadmium-free batteries are regarded as environmentally preferable. 

Media Type Material Hydride Form H2 Capacity (wt%) Energy Density (kj/kg Hydride) Enthalpy of Hydrogenation (kj/mol H2)... 

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