A production line for rare earth magnesium-nickel hydrogen storage alloy electrode materials has been established by Baotou Zhongke Xuanda New Energy Technology Co. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

Baotou Zhongke Xuanda New Energy Technology Co -- based in Baotou, North China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region -- has reported a breakthrough in the R&D and production of new rare earth Mg-Ni based hydrogen storage alloy materials, according to an April 7 Baotou Daily report. 

According to the company officials, the new storage alloy’s electrode production line has a production capacity of 200 tons.

Baotou Zhongke Xuanda New Energy Technology Co’s product is a key material for the production of high-capacity, wide temperature range and low power consumption nickel-metal hydrid power batteries.

In order to meet demand, the company recently purchased an annealing furnace, two ball mills and produced a ball mill platform, which can basically reach the designed production capacity.

So far, a total of 280 kilograms of alloy produced by the production line,  co-invested by Beijing CAS Star Hard Technology Venture Capital Partnership with 8 million yuan ($1.13 million), has been sold and delivered.

The project is based on research on new rare earth hydrogen storage alloys, developed by Yanshan University.

Officials said the facility is the first new rare earth hydrogen storage alloy production line with independent intellectual property rights in China.

Compared with the traditional AB5 hydrogen storage alloy electrode materials, the new rare earth hydrogen storage alloy material developed by Zhongke Xuanda increases battery capacity by more than 30 percent, officials said.

The battery’s process performance, dynamic performance and low-temperature characteristics are greatly improved.