Kinetics of hydrogen absorption/desorption in the Zr–2.5Nb alloy

Abstract

The Zr–2.5Nb alloy is a typical pressure tube material in heavy water nuclear reactors, and an increase of hydrogen isotope content in the alloy during service can pose major safety risks; hot vacuum extraction-mass spectrometry is an efficient method for evaluating hydrogen isotope concentrations in the Zr–2.5Nb alloy. This work investigates the kinetics and thermodynamic properties of deuterium (D) absorption and desorption of the Zr–2.5Nb alloy using the constant volume adsorption method and the hot vacuum extraction method. In addition to the previously reported volume contraction model, it was observed that at 600 °C and above, the reaction between D₂ and Zr–2.5Nb is dominated by diffusion, while the reaction is predominantly influenced by surface adsorption and dissociation below 600 °C. Phase transition sequence of Zr–2.5Nb deuterides during non-isothermal desorption was established using quantitatively calibrated thermal desorption spectra combined with the phase transition process of deuteride decomposition. These results can provide important references for optimizing the process parameters of the hot vacuum extraction-mass spectrometry method.