HYDROGEN SORBENT FLOW AID COMPOSITION AND CONTAIMENT THEREOF

A sorbent composition for reducing the stress buildup within sorbent alloys such as hydride powders being used to store hydrogen gas by imparting more of a fluid-like property to the alloys. Under the teachings of the present invention, a second powder is added to the powdered sorbent alloy to serve as a flow aid to the alloy powders so as to allow rearrangement and movement for the alloy powders with respect to each other and with respect to the sidewalls of the container. The flow aid powder which is chemically inert with respect to hydrogen and the sorbent alloys is mixed with the sorbent alloy powder and the amount of the flow aid powder is dependent upon the volume change of the particular hydride, the strength of the container, the geometry of the container, the orientation of the container, and the direction of the reaction front. The addition of the flow aid reduces densification, compaction, settling, and stress buildup during successive cycles of absorption and desorption.