Metal hydride composite materials

Abstract

A method of producing metal hydride misch-metal composite powders comprising providing to a rotary flow-through electrodeposition apparatus a powder whose particles comprise one or more lanthanide alloy metals selected from the group consisting of titanium lanthanide alloy metals and nickel lanthanide alloy metals; and electrodepositing one or more non-lanthanide metals on the powder via the apparatus. Also the resulting compositions of matter and metal hydride misch-metal powders.

1 . A metal hydride misch-metal composite powder produced according to a method comprising the steps of: 
 providing to a rotary flow-through electrodeposition apparatus a powder whose particles comprise one or more lanthanide alloy metals selected from the group consisting of titanium lanthanide alloy metals and nickel lanthanide alloy metals; and    electrodepositing one or more non-lanthanide metals on the powder via the apparatus.    
   
   
       2 . The powder of  claim 1  wherein the electrodepositing step comprises completely encapsulating the particles with the one or more non-lanthanide metals.  
   
   
       3 . The powder of  claim 1  wherein the electrodepositing step comprises only partially encapsulating the particles with the one or more non-lanthanide metals.  
   
   
       4 . The powder of  claim 1  additionally comprising the step of electrodepositing crystalline catalytic elements after the step of electrodepositing one or more non-lanthanide metals.  
   
   
       5 . The powder of  claim 4  wherein the crystalline catalytic elements comprise one or more noble metals.  
   
   
       6 . The powder of  claim 5  wherein the crystalline catalytic elements comprise one or more of palladium and platinum.  
   
   
       7 . The powder of  claim 1  wherein in the one or more non-lanthanide metals comprise one or more of nickel, copper, tin, and zinc.  
   
   
       8 . A metal hydride misch-metal powder comprising a powder whose particles comprise an inner core comprising one or more lanthanide metals and a porous outer encapsulant comprising one or more non-lanthanide metals.  
   
   
       9 . The powder of  claim 8  wherein said particles additionally comprise crystalline catalytic elements on outer surfaces of said particles.  
   
   
       10 . The powder of  claim 9  wherein said crystalline catalytic elements comprise one or more noble metals.  
   
   
       11 . The powder of  claim 10  wherein said crystalline catalytic elements comprise one or more of palladium and platinum.  
   
   
       12 . The powder of  claim 8  wherein said one or more non-lanthanide metals comprises one or more of nickel, copper, tin, and zinc.  
   
   
       13 . The powder of  claim 8  wherein said inner core additionally comprises one or more of nickel and titanium.