A non-pyrophoric AB.sub.2-type Laves phase hydrogen storage alloy and hydrogen storage systems using the alloy. The alloy has an A-site to B-site elemental ratio of no more than about 0.5. The alloy has an alloy composition including about (in at %): Zr: 2.0-5.5, Ti: 27-31.3, V: 8.3-9.9, Cr: 20.6-30.5, Mn: 25.4-33.0, Fe: 1.0-5.9, Al: 0.1-0.4, and/or Ni: 0.0-4.0. The hydrogen storage system has one or more hydrogen storage alloy containment vessels with the alloy disposed therein.

A non-pyrophoric AB.sub.2-type Laves phase hydrogen storage alloy and hydrogen storage systems using the alloy. The alloy has an A-site to B-site elemental ratio of no more than about 0.5. The alloy has an alloy composition including about (in at %): Zr: 2.0-5.5, Ti: 27-31.3, V: 8.3-9.9, Cr: 20.6-30.5, Mn: 25.4-33.0, Fe: 1.0-5.9, Al: 0.1-0.4, and/or Ni: 0.0-4.0. The hydrogen storage system has one or more hydrogen storage alloy containment vessels with the alloy disposed therein.

Provided is a method for producing a composite alloy for use in an electrode for an alkaline storage battery, including a powder preparation step of preparing a hydrogen storage alloy powder containing Ti and Cr and having a BCC structure, an etching step of applying an acid to the hydrogen storage alloy powder prepared in the powder preparation step, a Pd film forming step of coating the surface of the hydrogen storage alloy powder subjected to the etching step with Pd using a substitution plating method, and a heat treatment step of heating the hydrogen storage alloy powder having a Pd film formed, at said heating being a temperature of 500° C. or less, wherein in the Pd coating forming step, the hydrogen storage alloy powder is coated with Pd under the condition that the Pd element weight ratio of the composite alloy to be produced is 0.47% or more.

Provided is a method for producing a composite alloy for use in an electrode for an alkaline storage battery, including a powder preparation step of preparing a hydrogen storage alloy powder containing Ti and Cr and having a BCC structure, an etching step of applying an acid to the hydrogen storage alloy powder prepared in the powder preparation step, a Pd film forming step of coating the surface of the hydrogen storage alloy powder subjected to the etching step with Pd using a substitution plating method, and a heat treatment step of heating the hydrogen storage alloy powder having a Pd film formed, at said heating being a temperature of 500° C. or less, wherein in the Pd coating forming step, the hydrogen storage alloy powder is coated with Pd under the condition that the Pd element weight ratio of the composite alloy to be produced is 0.47% or more.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

The present disclosure relates to TiMn-based or TiCrMn-based hydrogen storage alloys capable of absorbing and releasing hydrogen. In preferred embodiments the disclosure relates to TiMn-based or TiCrMn-based hydrogen storage alloys comprising ferrovanadium (VFe).

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

A caster assembly configured to process and store a material includes a reaction chamber, a storage assembly configured to store material processed in the reaction chamber, and a blower configured to process and store the material. The reaction chamber includes a vessel configured to hold the material in a melted state prior to processing and a powder generating assembly configured to receive the material from the melting vessel. The powder generating assembly includes a feeding chamber and a feeding device disposed at least partially within the feeding chamber. The feeding device includes at least one nozzle configured to inject inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two into the feeding chamber and a material inlet through which the material is configured to flow into the feeding chamber to be exposed to the inert fluid, where the fluid is a gas, liquid, or combination of the two.

A hydrogen storage alloy suitable for a negative electrode of an alkaline storage battery is provided. The hydrogen storage alloy provided is a hydrogen storage alloy used for an alkaline storage battery that has, as a main phase, one or two crystal structures selected from an A.sub.2B.sub.7-type structure and an AB.sub.3-type structure, and that is represented by a general formula: (La.sub.1-a-bCe.sub.aSm.sub.b).sub.1-cMg.sub.cNi.sub.dAl.sub.eCr.sub.f (where suffixes a, b, c, d, e, and f in this formula (1) meet the following conditions: 0<a≤0.15; 0≤b≤0.15; 0.17≤c≤0.32; 0.02≤e≤0.10; 0≤f≤0.05; and 2.95≤d+e+f≤3.50.