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Title: Deuterium absorption and material phase characteristics of Zr{sub 2}Fe

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10147028· OSTI ID:10147028

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) 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{degrees}C) deuterium absorption rate was slower when the vacuum quality was pwr (2.5 Pa vs. 3{times}10{sup {minus}4} Pa). However, at higher activation temperature (500{degrees}C), deuterium absorption rate 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{degrees}C. The P-C-T data over the full range of deuterium loading and at temperatures of 350{degrees}C and below is described by: K{sub 0e}-({Delta}H{sub {alpha}}/RT)=PD{sub 2}q{sup 2}/(q*{minus}q){sup 2} where {Delta}H{alpha} and K{sub 0} have values of 101.8 kJ{center_dot}mole{sup {minus}1} and 3.24{times}10{sup {minus}8}Pa{sup {minus}1}, and q* is 15.998 kPa{center_dot}L{sup {minus}1}{center_dot}g{sup {minus}1}. At higher temperatures, one or more secondary reactions in the solid phase occur that slowly consume D{sub 2} from the gas phase. XRD suggests these reactions to be: 2 Zr{sub 2}FeD{sub x} {yields} x ZrD{sub 2} + x/3 ZrFe{sub 2} + (2 {minus} 2/3x) Zr{sub 2}Fe and Zr{sub 2}FeD{sub x} + (2 {minus}1/2x) D{sub 2} {yields} ZrD{sub 2} + Fe, where 0 < x < 3. Reaction between gas phase deuterium and Zr2FC formed in the first reaction accounts for the observed consumption of deuterium from the gas phase by this reaction.

Research Organization:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC09-89SR18035
OSTI ID:
10147028
Report Number(s):
WSRC-TR-92-557; ON: DE93011777
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 30 Dec 1992
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English