Method for producing La/Ce/MM/Y base alloys, resulting alloys, and battery electrodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017166998-A1
Application number	US-201615330895-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2016
Priority date	Jul 20, 2010
Publication date	Jun 15, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A carbothermic reduction method is provided for reducing a La-, Ce-, MM-, and/or Y-containing oxide in the presence of carbon and a source of a reactant element comprising Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, and/or P to form an intermediate alloy material including a majority of La, Ce, MM, and/or Y and a minor amount of the reactant element. The intermediate material is useful as a master alloy for in making negative electrode materials for a metal hydride battery, as hydrogen storage alloys, as master alloy additive for addition to a melt of commercial Mg and Al alloys, steels, cast irons, and superalloys; or in reducing Sm 2 O 3 to Sm metal for use in Sm—Co permanent magnets.

First claim

1 - 16 . (canceled)

17 . A method of making a metal hydride battery electrode material, comprising carbothermically reducing an oxide selected from the group consisting of La-containing oxide, a Ce-containing oxide, and MM-containing oxide in the presence of carbon as a reducing agent and a source of a reactant element X wherein X is selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, and P to achieve substantial completion of the carbothermic reduction reaction to form a low carbon rare earth-based alloy having a majority of a rare earth element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, and MM, a minor amount of X, and a low carbon content of about 2 weight % or less and alloying the carbothermically reduced, low carbon rare earth-based alloy with a transition metal to form the electrode material.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein the transition metal is Ni.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein some of the Ni is substituted by at least one of B, Al, Si, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mo.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy further includes an amount of Pr, Nd, and/or Zr.

21 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy includes about 5 to about 50 atomic % of the reactant element X.

22 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy comprises LaSi 0.5 .

23 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy comprises LaX′ 0.5 where X′ is selected from the group consisting of Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, and P.

24 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy comprises CeSi 0.5 .

25 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy comprises CeX′ 0.5 , where X′ is selected from the group consisting of Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, and P.

26 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy comprises MMSi 0.5 .

27 . The method of claim 17 wherein the rare earth-based alloy comprises MMX′ 0.5 , where X′ is selected from the group consisting of Ge, Sn, Pb, As, Sb, Bi, and P.

28 . (canceled)

29 . The method of claim 17 wherein the electrode material comprises R(Ni 1-x Co x ) 5 where R is La, Ce, and MM and x is 0 to 0.75.

30 .- 80 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Univ Iowa State Res Found Inc

Inventors

• Gschneidner Jr Karl A
• Schmidt Frederick A

Classifications

• C22C28/00

  Alloys based on a metal not provided for in groups C22C5/00 - C22C27/00 · CPC title

• C22C1/06 Primary

  with the use of special agents for refining or deoxidising · CPC title

• H01M4/58

  of inorganic compounds other than oxides or hydroxides, e.g. sulfides, selenides, tellurides, halogenides or LiCoFy; of polyanionic structures, e.g. phosphates, silicates or borates · CPC title

• C22C30/00

  Alloys containing less than 50% by weight of each constituent · CPC title

• H01M4/383

  Hydrogen absorbing alloys · CPC title