To enable the reversibly repeated absorbing and discharging of hydrogen or hydrogen isotopes at high density under sufficiently low equilibrium pressure by specifying the compsn. composed of Zr, Ni and Co, moreover executing cooling at a low cooling rate in the heat treating stage and forming its crystal structure into the prescribed one.
A ZrNi alloy is used as a base, in which a part of Ni is substituted by a suitable amt. of Co to form a compsn. shown by Zr1(Ni1-xCox)y (where 0.2≤x≤0.8, preferably, 0.4≤x<0.8, and 0.8≤y≤1.2), and also, the structure is formed of the mixed phases of a cubic system B2 structure and a rhombic system Bf structure to obtain a hydrogen occluding material capable of absorbing and discharging hydrogen or hydrogen isotopes such as heavy hydrogen and tritium at high density under sufficiently low equilibrium pressure and moreover excellent in durability in repeated absorbing and discharging. The mixed phases of this crystal structure can be formed, in a heat treating stage at the time of material production, e.g. in homogenizing treatment at about 950 to 1,100°C, after heating, by executing cooling at a sufficiently slow rate to a degree equal to or below that in furnace cooling.
KABUTOMORI TOSHIKI
GOTO TOSHIMITSU
MURAI MASAMITSU
TSUCHIYA KUNIHIKO
KAWAMURA HIROSHI
JAPAN ATOMIC ENERGY RES INST
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