Hydrogen permeation preventive structural material

Purpose: To facilitate the maintenance and repairment for structural materials by effectively suppressing or preventing permeation of hydrogen isotopes in the coolant systems of a thermonuclear reactor. Constitution: Hydrogen permeation preventive structural material comprises a basic material composed of stainless steels and xenon-containing Cu-Zr layers formed thereon. Any of structural materials usable for thermonuclear reactors may be used as the basic material, including stainless steels, carbon steels, heat resistant alloys, aluminum alloys, nickel alloys and ceramics, stainless steels being particularly preferred. The xenon-containing Cu-Zr layer is formed by the injection of xenon by means of ionization and heating and by the vapor deposition of Cu-Zr mixed metals. Then, the Cu-Zr layers which contain xenon gas bubbles or lattice-trapped xenon in a great amount form hindrance for the diffusion of hydrogen isotopes toward coolants and, accordingly, the permeation amount of tritium, etc. toward the coolants can greatly be suppressed. (Horiuchi, T.)