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316L stainless steel samples are fabricated by metal injection molding using water-atomized and gas-atomized powder with different oxygen contents. The influences of oxygen on the microstructural evolution and fatigue properties of the samples are investigated. The oxygen tends to react with Mn and Si to form oxide particles during sintering. The oxides hamper the densification process and result in decreased sintered density. Moreover, their existence reduces the Mn and Si dissolving into the base metal and compromises the solution strengthening effect. The oxides lead to stress concentration in the tensile and fatigue tests and become the initiation sites of fatigue cracks. After sintering, the samples made from the gas-atomized powder have a much lower oxygen content compared to those made from the water-atomized powder, therefore, exhibiting much better mechanical properties. The tensile strength, yield strength and the elongation of the samples made from the gas-atomized powder are 560 MPa, 205 MPa, and 58%, respectively. Their fatigue lives are about one order of magnitude longer than the samples made from water-atomized powder, and also longer than those fabricated by powder metallurgy and selective laser sintering which were reported in other studies.

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Mg1.8La0.2Ni hydrogen storage alloy was ball-milled with Ni powder, leading to the formation of a nanocrystalline and amorphous microstructure with particle sizes less than 50 nm in diameter. Each sample was examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). This structure was beneficial for the reduction of electrochemical impedance, as well as significant improvement of its discharge capacity, cycle life, and rate capability for electrochemical hydrogen storage in an alkaline solution. When the molar ratio (x) of Ni over Mg1.8La0.2Ni was equal to 2, the dehydriding capacity reached 2.55 wt % from electrochemical pressure-temperature isotherms (P-C-T). It was in good agreement with its initial discharge capacity, 716 mA*h/[g of (Mg1.8La0.2Ni)], observed from the electrochemical charge and discharge process. After 50 cycles, its discharge capacity still reached 381 mA*h/[g of (Mg1.8La0.2Ni)]. Further results showed that this composite had a promising high rate capability. At the current density of 1200 mA/g its discharge capacity reached 48% of its initial capacity.

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