MECHANICALLY-ASSISTED GASEOUS ADDITION OF HYDROGEN TO METAL ALLOYS

• Main Authors: ST. LOUIS, Curtis John, LANGILLE, Scott Thomas, NORDIN, Heidi Marie, MCRAE, Glenn Aldon, HANLON, Sean Michael Kevin, COLEMAN, Christopher Edward, MCCAUGHERTY, Kevin William, READ, Scott Anthony Douglas, CORRIGALL, James Leigh Mclean
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 22.04.2020
• Subjects: ALLOYS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; NUCLEAR ENGINEERING; NUCLEAR PHYSICS; NUCLEAR REACTORS; PHYSICS; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS

An article formed of a metal alloy is covered at least partially with a metal hydride and a shell metal to form an assembly. Load is applied to the assembly and the assembly is heated. The shell metal deforms around the article and the metal hydride and forms a gas proof seal. The metal hydride thermally decomposes to form hydrogen gas. At least a portion of the hydrogen gas dissociates and moves as monoatomic hydrogen into the article. The metal alloy can be a zirconium metal alloy, the metal hydride can be a zirconium metal hydride, and the shell metal can be substantially copper.