Frank E. Lynch

Bio: Frank E. Lynch is an academic researcher from University of Denver. The author has contributed to research in topics: Hydride & Intermetallic. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 3 publications receiving 317 citations.

A correlation between the interstitial hole sizes in intermetallic compounds and the thermodynamic properties of the hydrides formed from those compounds

Abstract: A correlation has been established between the stabilities of metal hydrides (measured in terms of the free energies of formation of the hydride phase per mole H 2 ) and the radii of tetrahedral holes in both hexagonal AB 5 (D2 d ) and cubic AB (B 2 ) intermetallic compounds. The correlation demonstrates that as the tetrahedral hole size increases, the stability increases. The results of this correlation show conclusively that hole size can be employed effectively in determining the stabilities of intermetallic compound-hydrogen phases. A model, which depends solely upon lattice parameters, was developed to compute the radii of tetrahedral holes in hexagonal AB 5 intermetallic compounds. A similar model, which requires a ratio of metallic radii in addition to the lattice parameter, has been employed to compute the radii of tetrahedral holes in the cubic AB intermetallic compounds. The thermodynamic and structural properties of hexagonal AB 5 -hydrogen systems and cubic AB-hydrogen systems have been compiled and are presented. The quantitative correlations are excellent. A change in valence of the A atom in the hexagonal AB 5 intermetallic compounds may have a significant effect on the stabilities of the hydride phases formed. In those cases where the B atoms were partially substituted in the hexagonal AB 6 and the cubic AB intermetallic compounds, a good correlation of stability with hole size was found. Gross deviations of the Ce-base AB 5 hydride data from the correlation line established by all the other AB 5 hydrides were observed. These were rationalized on the basis of well-documented stress-induced lattice contractions of Ce intermetallic compounds. The resulting contracted hole sizes of the CeNi 5 and CeCo 5 compounds modified the stability of their hydrides. These compound hydrides demonstrate a displaced but similar correlation to the other AB 5 hydrides, i.e . the smaller the hole size, the less stable is the system.

Metal hydride practical applications

Abstract: During the late 1960s, intermetallic compounds with rapid hydrogen sorption propertiesnear room temperature were discovered. At that time, or shortly thereafter, many possibilities for using these new materials were anticipated and discussed in the literature. Practical applications for these new materials include hydrogen storage for a multitude of purposes, hydrogen compression and purification, heat pumping, refrigeration, and thermal storage. The present paper is an overview of the progress that has been made in applying hydrides to practical engineering systems during the last two decades. Elementary schematics show hydrogen and heat flows in hydride applications.

Operating characteristics of high performance commercial metal hydride heat exchangers

Abstract: An experimental study of charging rates was performed on cylindrical containers of LaNi5 hydride (with inside diameters of 2.0, 2.7 and 3.8 cm) in a transverse flow of water. The reaction is shown to proceed radially inward within a relatively thin zone. The data are suspected of having been influenced significantly by hydrogen pressure gradients caused by the very restrictive flow properties of the hydride powders. Although a considerable effort was made to avoid problems with container strain due to hydride expansion, only the tube (inside diameter 2.7 cm) containing capsules survived the testing without rupture. Several fullscale applications of the test data are briefly discussed.

From permanent magnets to rechargeable hydride electrodes

Abstract: A brief historical survey is given of how the study of coercitivity mechanisms in SmCo5 permanent-magnet materials eventually led to the discovery of the favourable hydrogen sorption properties of the compound LaNi5. It is shown how continued research by many investigators dealing with a variety of different physical and chemical properties has resulted in an advanced understanding of some of the principles that govern hydrogen absorption and which are responsible for the changes in physical properties that accompany it. The problems associated with various applications of LaNi5-based hydrogen-storage materials are also briefly discussed. A large part of this paper is devoted to the applicability of LaNi5-type materials in batteries. Research in this area has resulted in the development of a new type of rechargeable battery: the nickel-hydride cell. This battery can be charged and discharged at high rates and is relatively insensitive to overcharging and overdischarging. Special attention is given to the nature of the electrode degradation process and the effect of composition variations in LaNi5-related materials on the lifetime of the corresponding hydride electrodes when subjected to severe electrochemical charge-discharge cycles.

Hydrides formed from intermetallic compounds of two transition metals: a special class of ternary alloys

Abstract: The authors review available experimental information on the existence, thermodynamic stability and physical properties of hydrides formed by the absorption of hydrogen gas in intermetallic compounds of two transition metals. The emphasis is on stability. It is shown that empirical models for the stability of ternary hydrides can be reconciled with ideas based on the results of band structure calculations of (binary) metallic hydrides. It is concluded that metallic hydrides can be looked upon as alloys of metallic hydrogen. In addition to the thermodynamic properties of ternary metallic hydrides the authors discuss experimental information on electronic properties (magnetic, super-conductivity, band structure features) and on crystallographic and metallurgical properties (neutron scattering, nuclear and electron spin resonance, Mossbauer spectroscopy, diffusion). Applications are briefly reviewed.

Site occupancies and stoichiometries in hydrides of intermetallic compounds: Geometric considerations

Abstract: Hole sizes and intersite distances were calculated at various hydrogen concentrations for the interstices in hydrides of TiCr 1.8 , ZrTi 2 , ZrV 2 , ZrCr 2 , ZrFe 2 , HfV 2 and TaV 2 with the cubic MgCu 2 C15 structure and of ZrMn 2 and ErMn 2 with the hexagonal MgZn 2 C14 structure. From a survey of other metallic hydrides, empirical criteria were chosen for the minimum hole size (0.40 A) and the minimum H-H distance (2.1 A) for hydrogen atom occupancy in stable hydrides. With these criteria, a model was developed for predicting which sites and how many of them could be occupied by hydrogen atoms in each of the intermetallic compounds listed. The resulting stoichiometries were determined by experimentally filling the interstices of model lattices constructed of Friauf polyhedra without violating either of the adopted geometric criteria. For each of the compounds rationales are presented to explain the experimental observations reported by other researchers.

Storing energy in metal hydrides: a review of the physical metallurgy

Abstract: Metal hydrides, as energy storage media, are receiving considerable attention. The amount of literature concerning the properties of these materials has increased markedly over the past few years. In this paper, we conduct a review of the alloy groups which absorb large quantities of hydrogen. These alloy classes are designated as AB5, AB, AB2, AB3 and A2B7 and Mg-based compounds. These materials are discussed with emphasis placed on thermodynamic and kinetic properties, activation and deactivation, poisoning effects and storage capacity.