Fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite and method of manufacturing the same

• US 5,874,168 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 02/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kiyokawa Plating Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Kiyokawa Plating Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Takashima, Masayuki, Yonezawa, Susumu, Kiyokawa, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, H. Thi
• Application Number:
  US08/691,283
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 428/327, 428/328, 428/403, 428/407, 428/421, 428/457, 428/689, 428/697, 428/698, 428/699, 428/696, 428/704, 428/550, 428/551, 428/565, 428/570, 428/613, 428/639, 428/548
• US Class Current: 428/407
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/102 Metallic powder coated with organic material
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/0078 Composite solid storage mediums, i.e. coherent or loose mixtures of different solid constituents, chemically or structurally heterogeneous solid masses, coated solids or solids having a chemically modified surface region
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/242 Hydrogen storage electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/383 Hydrogen absorbing alloys
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12028 Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12042 Porous component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12049 Nonmetal component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12146 Nonmetal particles in a component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12181 Composite powder [e.g., coated, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1266 O, S, or organic compound in metal component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2998 including synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

There is provided a fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite which has a sufficient water-repellent property and can efficiently absorb a hydrogen gas. The composite comprises hydrogen storage alloy particles which have a plated metal film covering at least a part of the particles, the plated metal film containing at least one fine particle of a fluorocarbon compound. Examples of the metal used for plating include Ni, Cu, Co, Ni-P, Ni-W, Ni-W-P, Ni-B, Ni-W-B, Cu-Ni, Cu-P, Co-P, Co-B, and Co-W. Polytetrafluoroethylene is preferably used for the fluorocarbon compound. The fluorocarbon compound hydrogen storage alloy composite is prepared by electrolytically plating the hydrogen storage alloy particles in a pyrophosphate bath with fine particles of a fluorocarbon compound dispersed therein.

Claims

1. A fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite comprising hydrogen storage alloy particles having a plated composite film covering at least a part of the surface of said particles, said plated composite film containing a metal and at least one particle of a fluorocarbon compound.

2. The fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plated composite film is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Cu, Co, Ni-P, Ni-W, Ni-W-P, Ni-B, Ni-W-B, Cu-Ni, Cu-P, Co-P, Co-B, and Co-W.

3. The fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite in accordance with claim 1, wherein said fluorocarbon compound is a polyfluorocarbon.

4. The fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite in accordance with claim 3, wherein said polyfluorocarbon is polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plated composite film is a porous film which allows diffusion of hydrogen.

6. The fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite in accordance with claim 1, wherein said hydrogen storage alloy particles have a diameter of 0.01 to 2 mm and said fluorocarbon compound particles have a diameter of 0.01 to 50 μ

m.

7. The fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plated composite film has a thickness of 0.01 to 50 μ

m.

8. A method of manufacturing a fluorocarbon compound-hydrogen storage alloy composite which comprises electrolytically plating hydrogen storage alloy particles in a pyrophosphate bath with particles of a fluorocarbon compound dispersed therein to deposit a copper or a copper alloy film containing a particle or particles of said fluorocarbon compound on the surface of said hydrogen storage alloy particles.