First-principles study of the stability and diffusion properties of hydrogen in zirconium carbide

The stability and diffusion properties of interstitial hydrogen atom in bulk ZrC have been investigated by first-principles calculations. In energy, hydrogen atoms prefer to occupy the carbon substitutional site (C-SS) with a negative formation energy, consistent with the experimental observations. In the C-SS, the hydrogen atom obtains 0.702 electrons from its 1 NN Zr atoms, tending to achieve the most stable 1s² electronic state. Two hydrogen atoms in the same tetrahedral interstitial site are able to form a pairing cluster along the 〈110〉 direction with the H−H pair equilibrium distance of 1.30 Å, nearly twice the length of H₂ bond, suggesting a relatively weak interaction between the H−H pair. The diffusion energy barriers of hydrogen in pure and vacancy pre-existing ZrC matrix are calculated. It is found that the presence of native vacancies will capture the hydrogen atoms due to the large energy barrier to jump out the vacancy. Furthermore, the temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients of interstitial hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium in ZrC are predicted using the transition state theory.