Diffusion and release of hydrogen from metals under the effect of ionizing radiation

•Hydrogen metal subsystem is studied theoretically.•A model for irradiation-induced hydrogen yield from metals is developed.•Hydrogen yield from metals is mainly depends on the electrons irradiation time.•Experimental results are highly correlated with the developed model.

The phenomenological model of non-equilibrium diffusion and release of hydrogen from metals under the effect of electron beam in the sub-threshold region is considered. It is shown that the radiation stimulates the release and diffusion of hydrogen at a rate, significantly exceeds the rate of thermal equilibrium processes in the metals. This can occur in the presence of long-lived, in a time scale of single phonon and electron relaxation, vibrationally excited H-bonds. The proposed model confirms the experimental results previously obtained.