Effect of the nature of the starting materials on the formation of Mg2FeH6

The compound Mg2FeH6 was synthesized in a single process by reactive mechanical alloying (RMA) a 2MgH(2) + Fe mixture under hydrogen atmosphere at room temperature. The process yield is 15.6 wt. % Of Mg2FeH6, after 100 h of milling. The synthesis Of Mg2FeH6 takes almost twice the time and gives nearly half the yield obtained when milling a 2Mg + Fe mixture under similar conditions. The differences observed are explained in terms of the contrast between the mechanical properties and the microstructures of the starting mixtures. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.