Efficient deuterium permeation reduction coating formed by oxidizing the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel in reduced oxygen atmosphere at 973 K

Abstract

Alumina is regarded as one of the most promising candidate tritium permeation barrier (TPB). Through thermal oxidization of Al-contained alloys Fe–Cr–Al, alumina layer with high tritium permeation reduction ability can be obtained. After bonding this kind of materials with structural materials such as reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels, it can serve as TPB. In this work, efforts have been done to enhance the hydrogen isotope permeation reduction ability of the alumina layer on the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel by optimizing the oxidation process. The oxidation temperature of the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel is set to 973 K, which is lower than the final heat treatment temperature of the RAFM steel. Three different atmospheres have been employed for the oxidation process of the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel. Gas driven permeation (GDP) experiments have been performed to examine the deuterium permeability of the oxidized Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel. The deuterium permeability of the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel oxidized in argon with 1700 ppm oxygen is 104 times lower than that of the RAFM steel at 823 K. The microstructure and chemical composition of the oxide layer of the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel oxidized in three different atmospheres has been clarified using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) methods. It is suggested that oxidizing the Fe–Cr–Al ferritic steel at reduced oxygen atmosphere could inhibit the growth of the iron oxide and chromium oxide in the oxide layer, thereby leading to a dense and compact alumina layer that has excellent hydrogen permeation reduction performance.