Hydrogen absorption–desorption properties of UZr0.29 alloy

Abstract Hydrogen absorption–desorption properties of the UZr0.29 alloy and uranium metal were investigated in detail at hydrogen pressures as high as to 0.4 MPa and over the temperature range of 300–723 K. Both UZr0.29 alloy and uranium metal showed similar hydrogen isotopic effect and hysteresis effect. UZr0.29 alloy absorbed hydrogen (deuterium) up to 2.3H (2.18D) atoms per F.U. (formula unit) by only one-step reaction and hence each desorption isotherm had a single plateau over nearly the whole hydrogen composition range. The UZr0.29 alloy showed a little lower dissociation pressure than that of pure uranium; however, it exhibited high durability against powdering upon hydrogenation and may have good heat conductivity. The UZr0.29 hydride has the potentiality to substitute pure uranium hydride as a material for tritium treatment and storage.