Synthesis of Hydrogen Sorbing Carbonaceous Composites by Mechanical Milling

Abstract

Mechanical milling of graphite,carbon black,zirconium metal and ZrMn₂ alloy was performed under hydrogen to synthesize hydrogen sorbing composites. Hydrogen capacity of milled graphite depended on milling time,but variation of the former with specific surface area was not monotonous. Among the studied carbonaceous composites,cooperative effect to enhance hydrogen capacity was only observed for zirconium-carbon black composite. This would be owing to some specific sites on carbon black that were effectively created and were not consumed during the milling process. Another effect of the composite formation was stabilization of zirconium and ZrMn₂.