Vacuum chamber for edgeless studies of gas–metal reactions

Abstract

The concept, design, construction, and operation of a high vacuum reaction chamber are described. This chamber eliminates specimen edge effects, permits studies of the quantitative kinetics of gases reacting with the surfaces of disklike specimens, and is well suited for evaluation of various schemes (e.g., coatings, ion implantations) designed to protect practical surfaces from the gases. Operation of the chamber has been demonstrated for the hydriding of depleted uranium in 76 Torr of hydrogen at 130 °C.