Permeation of deuterium implanted into vanadium alloys

Permeation of deuterium through the vanadium alloy, V-15Cr-5Ti, was investigated using 3-keV, D3+ ion beams from a small accelerator. The experiments consisted of measurements of the deuterium reemission and permeation rates as a function of implantation fluence for 0.5-mm thick specimens heated to tempertures from 623 to 8230K. Implantation-side surface characterization was made by simultaneous measurements of sputtered ions with a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS). Analyses of these measurements indicate that for the experimental conditions used, the steady-state deuterium permeation flux in V-15Cr-5Ti is approximately 18% of the implantation flux. This corresponds to approximately 1000 times that seen in the ferritic steel, HT-9, under comparable conditions. Measurement of deuterium diffusivity in V-15Cr-5Ti using permeation break-through times indicates D = 1.4 x 10-8 exp(-.11 eV/kT) (m2/s)