Dynamic Monte-Carlo modeling of thermal desorption of H 2 from H + irradiated graphite

Abstract

Thermal desorption of hydrogen molecules from H + irradiated graphite is studied using dynamic Monte Carlo simulation. The purpose of this study is to understand the experimentally observed phenomena that the thermal desorption of H 2 from the graphite exhibits sometimes single desorption peak, sometimes double peaks, and even three desorption peaks under certain circumstances. The study result reveals that the fluence of pre-implanted H +, the concentration of trap sites, porosity, and mean crystallite volume are important parameters in determining the number of desorption peaks. It is found that low implantation fluence and high concentration of trap sites easily lead to the occurrence of single desorption peak at around 1000 K, and high implantation fluence and low concentration of trap sites favor the occurrence of double desorption peaks, with a new desorption peak at around 820 K. It is also found that small porosity of graphite and large crystallite volume benefit the occurrence of single desorption peak at around 1000 K while large porosity of graphite and small crystallite volume facilitate the occurrence of double desorption peaks, respectively, at around 820 and 1000 K. In addition, experimentally observed third desorption peak at lower temperature is reproduced by simulation with assuming the graphite containing a small concentration of solute hydrogen atoms.