The initial stages of the reaction between ZrCo and hydrogen studied by hot-stage microscopy

The development of hydride phase on the surface of ZrCo under 1 bar of hydrogen was investigated at temperatures between 75 and 300 degrees C. Both surface modifications of the parent alloy and the nucleation and growth of hydride phase were observed. Surface modifications included: grain boundary outgrowth, intra-granular precipitation in the form of fine lamellar hydride phase and micro cracks. It is suggested that the surface modifications result from a combination of hydrogen solubility and the parent metal ductility. These modifications were enhanced near areas which had been previously transformed. The nucleation was self catalyzed, with new nuclei preferentially formed at the vicinity of growing former nuclei. All this suggested that the transport of hydrogen through the hydride phase is faster than its transfer through the surface passivation layer. The growth rate of the nuclei was similar to that of uranium. The activation energy for the growth was E-a=24+/-3 kJ/mol. The results were compared with several other metal-hydrogen systems. It is suggested that the important physical factors controlling the mechanism of the initial hydriding reaction are hydrogen solubility and the brittleness of the parent metal/alloy. These parameters are responsible to the different changes observed during the initial hydriding stages which include: surface modifications, cracking, nucleation and growth. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A.