A new low density, high porosity lithium hydride-beryllium hydride foam

Conference · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:7065757

Maienschein, J L; Barry, P E; McMurphy, F E; Bowers, J S

We have developed a low density (30--670 kg/m{sup 3}), high porosity (up to 96%) foam containing lithium hydride and amorphous beryllium hydride. This foam may be attractive as the x-ray scattering element in experiments such as the Thomson Scattering Polarimeter as proposed for inclusion in the High Throughput X-Ray Spectroscopy Space Mission, XMM, sponsored by the European Scientific Agency. We discuss ways to synthesize the foam, and report on physical properties such as bulk density and porosity, electron density, uniformity of foam density, concentration of impurities, pore size distribution, and sensitivity to moisture. The composition of the foam can be varied, but equimolar mixtures of LiH and BeH{sub 2} give the most vigorous foaming reaction. The force needed to expand the plastic reaction mass into a foam is provided by hydrogen and organic contaminants in the beryllium hydride that are released during the foaming reaction. Simultaneous differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis show that the reaction is endothermic with very little mass loss. The presence of LiBeH{sub 3} as either a reaction intermediate or final product is suggested by the fact that the most vigorous foaming occurs with equimolar mixtures of lithium hydride and beryllium hydride. 8 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7065757
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-103743; CONF-900756-18; ON: DE90015150
• Resource Relation: Conference: SPIE's international symposium on optical and optoelectronic applied science and engineering and exhibit, San Diego, CA (USA), 8-13 Jul 1990
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BERYLLIUM HYDRIDES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
FOAMS
SYNTHESIS
LITHIUM HYDRIDES
DENSITY
POROSITY
X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LITHIUM COMPOUNDS
SPECTROSCOPY
440600* - Optical Instrumentation- (1990-)
360204 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Physical Properties
640102 - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources