PERMEATION OF HYDROGEN THROUGH PALLADIUM

Palladium membranes have been bombarded by beams of similar to 10 eV atomic hydrogen, with a peak flux and fluence of 4 x 10(16) cm(-2) s(-1) and 10(20) cm(-2), respectively. The time-dependent permeation resulting from these exposures has been measured as a function of membrane temperature. The results have been compared with the models of Livshitz et al, and Pick et al. Permeation through conditioned membranes has agreed with these models and with earlier measurements at lower flutes and incident energies. Effects attributed to changing surface contamination have also been observed. Aspects of a conceptual design for reducing tritium inventory in ITER through the use of superpermeability are described.