Deuterium Absorption and Material Phase Characteristics of Zr sub 2 Fe

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 206; no. 1; pp. 83 - 93
• Main Authors: Nobile, A, Mosley, W C, Holder, J S, Brooks, K N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.1994
• ISSN: 0925-8388

Deuterium absorption and material phase characteristics of Zr sub 2 Fe (SAES St 198) were studied. Scanning electron microscope images of polished surfaces, electron probe microanalysis and X-ray powder diffractometry indicated the presence of a continuous Zr sub 2 Fe phase with secondary phases of ZrFe sub 2 , Zr sub 5 FeSn, alpha -Zr and Zr sub 6 Fe sub 3 O. A statistically-designed experiment to determine the effects of temperature, time and vacuum quality on activation of St 198 revealed that when activated at low temperature (350 C) D absorption rate at 350 C was slower when the vacuum quality was poor (2.5 Pa vs. 3x10 exp -4 Pa). However, at higher activation temperature (500 C), D absorption rate at 350 C was fast and was independent of vacuum quality. Deuterium pressure-composition-temperature (P-C-T) data are reported for St 198 in the temperature range 200-500 C.