Synthesis and hydrogen storage behavior of Mg–V–Al–Cr–Ni high entropy alloys

The ternary MgVAl, MgVCr, MgVNi, quaternary MgVAlCr, MgVAlNi, MgVCrNi and quinary MgVAlCrNi alloys were produced by high energy ball milling (HEBM) under hydrogen pressure (3.0 MPa) as a strategy to find lightweight alloys for hydrogen storage applications. Most of the ternary and quaternary alloys presented multiphase structure, composed mainly of body-centered cubic (BCC) solid solutions and Mg-based hydrides. Only the quinary MgVAlCrNi high entropy alloy (HEA) formed a single-phase structure (BCC solid solution), which is a novel lightweight (ρ = 5.48 g/cm³) single-phase HEA. The hydrogen storage capacity of this alloy was found to be very low (approximately 0.3 wt% of H). Two non-equiatomic alloys with higher fraction of Mg and V (strong hydride former elements), namely Mg₂₈V₂₈Al₁₉Cr₁₉Ni₆ and Mg₂₆V₃₁Al₃₁Cr₆Ni₆, were then designed, aiming at higher storage capacity. Both alloys were produced by HEBM. The results show that the non-stoichiometric alloys also presented low hydrogen storage capacity. The low affinity of these alloys with hydrogen was discussed in terms of enthalpy of hydrogen solution and enthalpy of hydride formation of the single components. This study brought to light the importance of considering both enthalpy of hydrogen solution and enthalpy of hydride formation of the alloying elements for designing Mg-containing HEA for hydrogen storage. Once Mg has a positive enthalpy of hydrogen solution, the alloys composition must be balanced with alloying elements with higher hydrogen affinity, i.e., negative values of enthalpy of solution and hydride formation.