The Effect of the Ceramic Precipitates on the Hydrogen Solubility in Pd Alloys

Hydrogen solubility in internally oxidized Pd-Mo(Al) alloys has been studied at 323 K from the measurements of pressure-composition(p-c) isotherms. Internal oxidation of $Pd_{0.985}Al_{0.015}$ and $Pd_{0.97}Mo_{0.03}$ alloys results in the precipitation of Al and Mo particles in a matrix of pure Pd. It has been observed that the presence of the aluminum and molybdenum oxide precipitates results in an enhanced hydrogen solubility in the dilute phase region of Pd-H in a Pd/aluminum(molybdenum)oxide composites. Hydrogen solubility enhancements due to the presence of residual stresses around ceramic particles have been observed from p-c isotherms determined at 323 K after oxidation at 1073 K. The solubility enhancements in completely internally oxidized alloys are greater than that in partially oxidized alloys. The stress fields near the ceramic precipitates are the major source of the solubility enhancements. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that alumina precipitates are nanometer-sized and coherent with the Pd matrix after oxidation.