• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.119-130
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• 1999

After preparing $Mg_2Ni_{1-x}{^{57}}Fe_x$(x=0.015, 0.03, 0.06, 0.12 and 0.24) alloys, they were studied by $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ resonance. The $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectra of x=0.015 and 0.03 alloys exhibit two doublets (doublet 1, 2). That of x=0.06 alloys shows two doublets (doublet 1,2) and one six-line, and those of x=0.12 and 0.24 alloys have only one six-line. The doublet 1 for x=0.015, 0.03 and 0.06 alloys is considered to result from a fraction of Fe in excess showing a superparamagnetic behavior. The doublet 2 is considered to result from the Fe substituted for Ni in the $Mg_2Ni$ phase. The values of isomer shift 0.24 ~ 0.28 mm/s suggest that the iron exist in the state $Fe^{+3}$. The result that the quadrapole splitting of the doublet 2 is not zero shows that the distribution of electrons around the iron is asymmetric. Their values for the doublet 2, 1.20 ~ 1.38 mm/s, approach the value of quadrapole for the oxidation number +3. The six-line showing the magnetic hyperfine interactions results from the iron which has not substituted the nickel in the $Mg_2Ni$ phase. The $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectra of the hydrided alloys with x=0.015 and 0.03 show six-line. This suggests that the iron segregates with the hydriding reaction. The analysis results of the $M{\ddot{o}}ssbauer$ spectrum, the variation of magnetization with magnetic field, Auger electron spectroscopy and electron diffraction show the segregation of Ni and the formation of MgO. This is considered to result from the reaction of the $Mg_2Ni$ phase with the oxygen contained in the hydrogen as impurity.