THE REACTION OF HYDROGEN WITH A 50 WEIGHT PERCENT ALLOY OF URANIUM AND ZIRCONIUM BETWEEN 542 C AND 798 C. Research Report 100FF1010-R1

Hydrogen sorption isotherms have been measured between 542 and 798 deg C at pressures of 0.001 to 70 cm of Hg. The isotherms give the terminal solubility of S in the initial alloy phases and the limiting compositions of new phases containing H/sub 2/. Values for the heat of solution of H/sub 2/ at all concentrations are presented. A comparison of the data with that of the H-- Zr system indicates that, above a minimum H/sub 2/concentration, the alloy breaks down to give V and Zr. The alloy then behaves, to some extent, as the H--Zr system modified by the presence of U. X-ray diffraction studies give support to this interpretation (auth