Measurement and Interpretation of Electrical Properties of Zirconium Hydride for Hydrogen-to-Metal Ratios Between 1.5 and 2

Technical Report · Fri Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 1960

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4191906· OSTI ID:4191906

Bickel, P. W. ^[1]

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1. North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, CA (United States). Atomics International Div.

Electrical resistivity and Hall effect measurements were carried out at 1.1 to 300 °K on zirconium hydride for hydrogen-to-metal ratios ranging from 1.54 to 1.96. In addition, the thermoelectric power was determined at 0 to 100 °C. The data support the belief that for these compositions zirconium hydride is a metallic compound. ZrH_1.96 exhibited a room temperature resistivity of 24.7 microohm-cm, which is considerably less than the value (42.6 micro-ohm- cm) characteristic of high-purity zirconium. On the basis of an observed rapid decrease of electrical resistivity as ZrH₂ is approached, it is predicted that the thermal conductivity will increase rapidly as the hydrogen-to-metal ratio approaches 2. Hall coefficient measurements revealed majority hole conduction for a face-centered cubic sample (ZrH_1.54) and majority electron conduction for a face-centered tetragonal sample (ZrH_1.81). Plots of resistivity and thermoelectric power vs. composition exhibited maxima in the vicinity of ZrH_1.6, and x ray studies showed this composition to lie within a two-phase region. The data allow some speculation on the nature of the bonding in zirconium hydride.

• Research Organization: North American Aviation, Inc., Canoga Park, CA (United States). Atomics International Div.
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-8
• NSA Number: NSA-14-006672
• OSTI ID: 4191906
• Report Number(s): NAA-SR--4173
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BINDING ENERGY
CARRIERS
DEFECTS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC PROPERTIES
ELECTRICITY
ELECTRONS
HALL EFFECT
HOLES
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
LATTICES
LOW TEMPERATURE
MEASURED VALUES
PHASE DIAGRAMS
POWER
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMOELECTRICITY
X RADIATION
ZIRCONIUM
ZIRCONIUM HYDRIDES
ZONES