Mg-Ni thin films for nickel-metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery negative electrode were prepared on three different substrates by using magnetron sputtering with compacted Ni and Mg mixture powder. The microstructure of Mg-Ni thin films deposited on the glass and the Ni foil substrate respectively was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD)and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the Mg-Ni thin films were in amorphous structure and the composition of the thin film was homogeneous.Electrochemical measurement show the discharge capacity of the thin film negative electrode deposited on the foam Ni substrate was 234.8mAh/g in 6M alkaline electrolyte and the internal resistance was much lower than that of the electrode prepared by the ball-milled powder during the charge-discharge cycle.
