Exploring the Hydrogen-Induced Amorphization and Hydrogen Storage Reversibility of Y(Sc)0.95Ni2 Laves Phase Compounds

Rare-earth-based AB2-type compounds with Laves phase structure are readily subject to hydrogen-induced amorphization and disproportionation upon hydrogenation. In this work, we conducted the Sc alloying on Y0.95Ni2 to improve its hydrogen storage properties. The results show that the amorphization degree of Y0.95Ni2 deepens with the increasing hydrogenation time, pressure, and temperature. The Y(Sc)0.95Ni2 ternary compounds show a significant improvement in reversibility and dehydriding thermodynamics due to the reduced atomic radius ratio RA/RB and cell volume. Hydrogen-induced amorphization is fully eliminated in the Y0.25Sc0.7Ni2. The Y0.25Sc0.7Ni2 delivers a reversible hydrogen storage capacity of 0.94 wt.% and the dissociation pressure of 0.095 MPa at the minimum dehydrogenation temperature of 100 °C.