Studying permeation of hydrogen (H and D) through Palladium membrane dynamically with ERDA method

Permeation of H and D through palladium membrane was studied in real-time with Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (ERDA). Concentration depth profile of hydrogen at the low pressure side of the membrane was followed by successive recording of ERDA spectra. Bulk concentration of hydrogen was high at low temperatures (below 380 K and 420 K for D and H, respectively) indicating that permeation is desorption limited. At higher temperatures concentration in the low pressure side of membrane diminished and hydrogen flux through the membrane increased as indicated by pressure rise in the vacuum chamber. Permeation of hydrogen therefore becomes diffusion limited