Hydrogen absorption in Zr(AlxB1−x)2 (BFe,Co) laves phase compounds

The hydrogen absorption capacity of the systems Zr(Al_xFe_1?x)₂ and Zr(Al_xCo_1?x)₂ (0? x ?1) was measured at hydrogen pressure of 70 atm and room temperature and at 40 atm and liquid nitrogen temperature. The two systems present very interesting and unexpected results.A dramatic rise in the hydrogen capacity occurs for small x values similar to previous results for the systems Zr(A_xB_1?x)₂ (A  V, Cr, Mn; B  Fe, Co; 0?x?1). The maximum hydrogen content in both systems is achieved for x ≈ $\text{2}\text{12}$ at 40 atm and 80 K. Further increase of the Al content leads, however, to a steep decrease in the hydrogen capacity. This general behaviour is well described by a phenomenological model, recently proposed by us, and thus supporting the importance of short-range neighbouring effects for the hydrogen absorption capacity. The influence of Al on the hydrogen sorption properties in different intermetallic compounds is discussed.