Publications

In-situ observation of ErD2 formation during D2 loading via neutron diffraction

Rodriguez, Marko A.; Snow, Clark S.; Wixom, Ryan R.

In an effort to better understand the structural changes occurring during hydrogen loading of erbium target materials, we have performed in situ D{sub 2} loading of erbium metal (powder) at temperature (450 C) with simultaneous neutron diffraction analysis. This experiment tracked the conversion of Er metal to the {alpha} erbium deuteride (solid-solution) phase and then into the {beta} (fluorite) phase. Complete conversion to ErD{sub 2.0} was accomplished at 10 Torr D{sub 2} pressure with deuterium fully occupying the tetrahedral sites in the fluorite lattice.