Electrochemical hydrogenation, lithiation and sodiation of the GdFe2–xMx and GdMn2–xMx intermetallics

Abstract

Electrochemical hydrogenation, lithiation and sodiation of the phases GdFe2–xMx and GdMn2–xMx (M=Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, and Mg) and the influence of doping components on electrochemical characteristics of electrode materials on their basis were studied using X-ray powder diffraction method, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray fluorescent spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Phase analysis showed a simple correspondence between unit cell parameters of the phases and atomic radii of doping elements. Electrode materials based on GdFe2 and GdMn2 doped with 2 at.% of Co, Ni and Mg demonstrated better hydrogen sorption properties than those doped with Mn and Zn. Corrosion resistance of the doped electrodes was also better than of the binary analogues (e.g. corrosion potential of the GdFe2-based electrode was –0.162 V whereas that of GdFe1.96Ni0.04 was –0.695 V). The capacity parameters were increased in the following ranges: Zn<Mn<Mg<Co<Ni and Zn<Fe<Mg<Co<Ni for GdFe2–xMx and GdMn2–xMx, respectively. After fifty cycles of charge/discharge, we observed the changes in surface morphology and composition of the electrode samples. In the structure of studied Laves type phases with MgCu2-type structure, the most suitable sites for hydrogen atoms are tetrahedral voids 8a. During lithiation and sodiation of the phases, the atoms of the M-component of the structure are replaced by the atoms of lithium, and the atoms of gadolinium are replaced by the atoms of sodium. This difference in interaction is due to the difference in atomic sizes of the atoms. No insertion of lithium or sodium into the structural voids of the phases was observed.