Retention behaviors of tritium loaded near the surface region of metals by gas absorption and plasma implantation

Retention behaviors of hydrogen loaded by gas absorption and plasma implantation to pure copper, pure tungsten and the F82H steels at various temperatures have been examined by the tritium imaging plate technique. Three components are distinguished in hydrogen retained near the surface region; one is an endothermic trapping component in the bulk or near the surface region, second is an exothermic trapping component induced by plasma implantation and third is a trapping component in oxide layers. The relative amount of each component in depth near the surface region of the metals can alter retention behaviors of hydrogen with respect to the loading temperatures