Study on Deuterium Permeation Behavior of Palladium Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering Method

Pre-depositing a Pd film is crucial for accurately acquiring the hydrogen permeability of metal materials, as it permits the production of ultra-pure hydrogen. However, the microstructure of Pd film and its effect on the hydrogen isotope permeation behavior of substrate materials have been neglected. In this study, Pd films were deposited on China Low-activation Ferritic (CLF−1) steel by magnetron sputtering. The effect of sputtering pressure on the microstructure and deuterium permeation behavior of Pd films at temperatures of 550−650 °C is presented. SEM results demonstrated that the films had a columnar crystal structure with a thickness of 0.6 ± 0.2 μm. The gas-driven permeation results revealed that the deuterium ion current intensity of the coated CLF−1 sample was at least three times lower than that of uncoated CLF−1 steel, which was influenced by the combined effect of oxygen and surface cracks. Oxygen could not be excluded from the films at a sputtering pressure of 10−3 Pa order of magnitude. It was also found that the films cracked during deuterium permeation experiments, which affected the deuterium permeation behavior. Films with large surface coverage and small grain sizes exhibited better cracking resistance. Our study provides promising insights into the hydrogen permeability of Pd films.