Quantitative determination of hydrogen absorption by Pd cluster-assembled films using a quartz crystal microbalance

We have measured hydrogen absorption capacity for a series of Pd films grown by two deposition techniques: a) flat films made with e-beam evaporation of Pd and b) films made of assembled Pd clusters. The films range in thickness from 9.5 to 45 nm. The technique implemented for measuring the amount of hydrogen absorbed by the films was a quartz crystal microbalance. The Pd films were grown on the quartz crystals and the change of mass due to the hydrogen absorption was determined from the shifting of the resonance frequency. Minute amounts of hydrogen absorbed of the order of nanograms per square centimeter can be detected by this technique. Plots of H/Pd atom ratio for each Pd film as a function of hydrogen pressure were obtained. The Pd e-beam grown films displayed a saturation H/Pd atomic ratio around 0.6 which is similar to bulk Pd. The Pd cluster film with a thickness of 14 nm displayed a remarkable absorption capacity with a ratio H/(Pd) ≈0.84. - Highlights: ► Pd cluster assembled films with different thicknesses are made and characterized. ► Quartz crystal microbalance is used to quantification the hydrogen amount absorbed. ► Hydrogen absorption/adsorption by Pd film is explained. ► Absorption expressed in H/Pd mass ratio is given for all Pd films. ► This complements H2 absorption on metal cluster films using optical techniques.