Hydrogen diffusivity in oxide layers formed in Zr alloy in air or steam

The effect of the oxidation conditions on hydrogen diffusion in oxide layers in Zr alloy was experimentally studied. Samples of GNF-Ziron (high-iron Zircaloy-2-type alloy) sheets were oxidized in air or steam and then exposed to deuterium plasma to charge them with deuterium. Deuterium depth profiles in each sample were observed by nuclear reaction analysis during plasma exposure, and the deuterium diffusion coefficient D was estimated. The results showed that the D values of the steam-oxidized samples were high, whereas that of a steam-oxidized sample that was subsequently heated in vacuum was as low as those of air-oxidized samples. The difference in D was not attributed to the structure but is probably due to the presence of OH groups absorbed during steam oxidation.