Deuterium distributions in cathodically charged type-304 stainless steel measured by the d(3He,p)α nuclear reaction

Stainless steel specimens have been cathodically charged with deuterium and examined according to their stressed state. The resulting deuterium distributions were measured by energy analysis of the proton spectrum from the d(3He, p)α reaction using a 0.25 mm diameter beam. The deuterium concentration levels range from 0.1 to 1.0 at.%, and lateral scanning across the tip of a Charpy notch on a stressed specimen did not reveal any local enrichment. The depth profiles are determined by room-temperature diffusion; furthermore, the influence of the surface-recombination process and trapping are discussed. The results are compared with the local enrichment theory for stress corrosion cracking. (orig.)