Diffusion of hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium in niobium

Abstract

The diffusion of hydrogen in niobium was investigated over the temperature range 148 to 500 degrees Kelvin, using measurements of the elastic after effect caused by long range diffusion (the Gorsky Effect). Relaxation curves for pure annealed niobium were generally not of the single exponential form expected from the Gorsky Effect theory, but were described well by a sum of two exponential curves with different amplitudes and relaxation times. The effects of oxygen and nitrogen interstitials on the diffusion were studied and were not in agreement with conventional trapping models. Deuterium and tritium diffusion in niobium were also studied, and a non-classical isotope effect was observed. Hydrogen diffusion coefficients in several Nb-Ta alloys were measured, and the diffusivity in all these alloys exhibited a non-Arrhenius temperature dependence. Experimental results were compared to several models for diffusion and trapping. A model is presented which can account for the form of the relaxation curves observed in pure, annealed niobium.