Development of Hydrogenating Powder Alloys for the Electrodes of Alkali Batteries. Part 3. Production Characteristics of Gas-Atomized Powders of Multicomponent Intermetallic Alloys

Alloy powders containing rare earth metals are prepared by the gas atomization method and their structure, surface, technological, and electrochemical properties are studied. Powders of the alloys LaNi^sub 4.5^Al^sub 0.5^, LaNi^sub 2.5^Co^sub 2.4^Al^sub 0.1^, and (Mm, La)Ni^sub 3.5^Co^sub 0.7^Al^sub 0.35^Mn^sub 0.4^Zr^sub 0.05^ are prepared with different particle sizes. The morphology, oxygen content and crystal structure of powders in relation to particle size are studied by x-ray analysis, electron microscopy, and surface dispersion spectroscopy. The hydrogen capacity and electrochemical properties of different fractions are determined. It is established that all of the fractions have similar morphology and alloy lattice parameters. The surface of gas atomized powders with less particle size is less contaminated with oxygen compared with larger fractions. At the same time fractions with a particle size