Abstract
Tough pitch and other high oxygen content copper alloys are known to be susceptible to hydrogen induced microstructural damage. The damage arises from the interaction of solute oxygen and oxide particles with dissolved hydrogen to form water vapor bubbles, the greatest fraction of which reside on grain boundaries. Oxygen-free high conductivity (OFHC) copper on the other hand is essentially immune to any hydrogen-induced effects. Because the oxygen content is low, no such H/sub 2/O(V) grain boundary precipitation occurs. Nor is the ductility affected to any appreciable extent even when the material is tensile tested in high pressure hydrogen. This paper summarizes the initial results of an experimental program directed towards determining the effects of the prolonged exposure of OFHC copper to a gaseous overpressure of tritium. Since this alloy is immune to any hydrogen embrittlement as described above, tritium, as a hydrogen isotope would not be expected to seriously affect its behavior. Any observed changes in microstructure or mechanical properties may therefore be ascribed to the influence of the helium born in the copper as the result of the radioactive decay of the dissolved tritium.
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