Hydrogen diffusion in steels under electron bombardment

Abstract

We report on the results of measurement of the coefficients of hydrogen diffusion through metal membranes in the course of their simultaneous hydrogen saturation and bombardment with electrons (energy 30 keV, current density from 3 to 30 µA/cm²) both in a broad and in a narrow beam. It is found that the time of hydrogen discharge from the membrane is determined by the parameters of the electron beam, its periodicity and duration, and also depends on the structure of the phase state of the metal membrane. It is shown that the diffusion coefficient increases when a narrow electron beam in the scanning regime is used. Analysis of the hydrogen yield as a function of time is carried out on a mass spectrometer connected to a vacuum chamber containing an electron gun, a beam sweep oscillator, and an electrolytic cell. The hydrogen diffusion coefficients under the action of a scanning electron beam are 15 times larger than under the same conditions without irradiation.