Department of Energy and the Environment

Chemical Metallurgy Section

TEL:+81-727-51-9651
FAX:+81-727-51-9629
E-mail: kinzoku@onri.go.jp

Last update: December 10, 1997

Introduction

Hydrogen Storage Alloys absorb hydrogen gas at 1000 times the volume of the alloys, and have been applied to a hydrogen storage tank, a battery, etc. The chemical metallurgy section actively studies fundamentals and applications of hydrogen storage alloys as one of the key research groups of the alloys in the world.
We studies following subjects:

Synthesis of new hydrogen storage alloy with high hydrogen capacity
Theoretical study on electronic state of hydrogen storage alloys
Surface properties of hydrogen storage alloys
Analysis of hydrogen storage alloy electrodes
[application]
hydrogen storage system
nickel-metal hydride battery
air-metal hydride battery

Research Projects

Energy Conversion Using Hydrogen Storage alloys
(New Sunshine Program) [FY1993~FY1998]
Analysis and evaluation of hydrogen storage systems by metal hydrides
(New Sunshine Program) [FY1997~FY1998]
Analysis and evaluation of hydrogen supply and control systems for hydrogen combustion turbines
(New Sunshine Program) [FY1994~FY1998]
Studies of hydrogen supply system by renewable energy
(General Research Program) [FY1995~FY1999]
R & D on high capacity metal-hydride battery using material regenerated from oil-related industrial waste
(NEDO Original Industrial Technology R & D Promotion Program) [FY1996~FY1998]

Research Scientists

name	research area of interest
Dr. Itsuki Uehara (Manager)	Hydrogen energy system using a hydrogen storage alloy
Dr. Tetsuo Sakai	Development of a nickel-metal hydride battery Development of high-capacity hydrogen storage alloys for a nickel-metal hydride battery Development of new materials for electrodes and separators in a nickel-metal hydride battery Development of new systems for energy conversion
Dr. Nobuhiro Kuriyama	Electrochemical analysis of metal hydride electrodes by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy etc. Study on the surface of hydrogen storage alloys Development of an air-metal hydride battery rechargeable with hydrogen gas Development of new systems for energy conversion
Mr. Hideaki Tanaka	Material design and crystal structure analysis of metal hydrides Synthesis of novel hydrogen storage alloy Study of gas-solid reaction of hydrogen storage alloys
Dr. Hiroyuki T. Takeshita	Development of novel high-capacity hydrogen storage alloys Evaluation of hydriding property of hydrogen storage alloys Theoretical study on electronic state of hydrogen storage alloys
Dr. Karim Kadir (NEDO fellow)	Synthesis of novel hydrides by sintering method Structural analysis of novel hydrides
Dr. Sin Jun (NEDO fellow)	Development of high-capacity metal hydride electrodes Theoretical study on electronic state of hydrogen storage alloys

Recent publication of research

papers published on magazines
- K. Kadir, T. Sakai and I. Uehara
  "Synthesis and structure determination of a new series of hydrogen storage alloys; RMg2Ni9 (R=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Gd) built from MgNi2 laves-type layers alternating with AB5 layers"
  [J. Alloys Comp., vol.257, p.115, 1997]
- I. Uehara, T. Sakai and H. Ishikawa
  "The state of research and development for applications of metal hydrides in Japan"
  [J. Alloys Comp., vol.253-254, p.635, 1997]
- N. Kuriyama, T. Sakai, H. Miyamura, H. Tanaka, H. T. Takeshita and I. Uehara
  "Electrochemical activity enhancement of a LaNi4.7Al0.3 electrode treated with an alkaline solution containing H2O2"
  [J. Alloys Comp., vol.253-254, p.598, 1997]
- N. Kuriyama, T. Sakai, H. Miyamura, H. Tanaka, I. Uehara, F. Meli and L. Schlapbach
  "Surface treatment of a LaNi5-Type metal-hydride electrode with an alkaline solution dissolving cobalt(II) hydroxide"
  [J. Alloys Comp., vol.238, p.128, 1995]
- T. Sakai, T. Iwaki, Z. Ye, D. Noreus and O. Lindstroem
  "Air-metal hydride battery construction and evaluation"
  [J. Electrochem. Soc., vol.142, p.4040 1995]
books
- T. Sakai, M. Matsuoka and C. Iwakura
  "Handbook on physics and chemistry of rare earthes", vol.21
  [K. A. Gshneider, Eds., Chap.142, Elsevier Science, 1995]
- T. Sakai
  "Nickel-metal hydride battery"
  [New technology in new materials for secondary batteries, p.159, CMC, 1996]
patents
- Metal hydride electrodes and preparation technique of them
  T. Sakai, H. T. Takeshita, H. Tanaka, N. Kuriyama and I. Uehara
  [Kokai tokkyo koho 1996-122512]
- Ca-Al system hydrogen storage alloys
  H. Tanaka, H. Miyamura, N. Kuriyama, T. Sakai and I. Uehara
  [Kokai tokkyo koho 1996-13076, app. USP 495744]

Others

Please send questions / comments to kinzoku@onri.go.jp .

by M.Taniguchi, Osaka Natl. Res. Inst.