Surface effects on diffusion of tritium in 304-stainless steel and Zircaloy- 2

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1973 · J. Nucl. Mater., v. 48, no. 3, pp. 307-316

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(73)90027-5· OSTI ID:4410459

Austin, J H; Elleman, T S; Verghese, K

Tritium diffusion measurements following tritium recoil injection into austenitic stainless steels and Zircaloy-2 exhibit slower hydrogen transport in the surface regions than in the bulk. Kinetics of tritium release from these materials indicate that the release is controlled by a diffusion coefficient that is two to three orders of magnitude lower than the bulk diffusion coefficient for tritium in stainless steel and seven to eight orders of magnitude lower in Zircaloy-2. A two-region classical diffusion model with different diffusion coefficients in each region was developed which appears to adequately represent the surface data for short heating times. Release rates at long heating times are apparently influenced by trapping of hydrogen in surface films. The surface effects are shown not to be due to the helium which is injected into the specimens along with the tritium. (8 figures) (auth)

• Research Organization: North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-29-008330
• OSTI ID: 4410459
• Journal Information: J. Nucl. Mater., v. 48, no. 3, pp. 307-316, Journal Name: J. Nucl. Mater., v. 48, no. 3, pp. 307-316; ISSN JNUMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*STAINLESS STEEL-304-- DIFFUSION
*TRITIUM-- DIFFUSION
*ZIRCALOY 2-- DIFFUSION
DEPTH
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
HEATING
N50230* --Metals
Ceramics
& Other Materials--Metals & Alloys--Properties
Structure & Phase Studies
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SURFACES