Papers by Author: Hiroshi Yukawa

Abstract: The concept for alloy design of Nbbased hydrogen permeable membrane is applied to NbWMo ternary system. The alloying effects of tungsten and molybdenum on the solubility of hydrogen, the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, the hydrogen permeability and diffusivity are investigated in a fundamental manner. It is found that the addition of tungsten and molybdenum into niobium decreases the hydrogen solubility. As a result, the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement improves and higher hydrogen pressures can be applied to the NbWMo alloy membrane. It is shown that the designed Nb5mol%W5mol%Mo alloy membrane with single solid solution phase exhibits excellent hydrogen permeability together with strong resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. In addition, it is found that the alloying of tungsten and molybdenum with niobium enhances the hydrogen diffusivity. In fact, the activation energy for hydrogen diffusion decreases in the order, pure Nb > Nb5mol%W > Nb5mol%W5mol%Mo.

Abstract: The hydrogen solubility and the hydrogen permeability have been measured for Nb-based alloys in order to investigate the alloying effects on the hydrogen diffusivity during hydrogen permeation. It is found that the hydrogen solubility decreases by the addition of ruthenium, tungsten or molybdenum into niobium. The mobility for hydrogen diffusion during hydrogen permeation is estimated from the linear relationship between the normalized hydrogen flux, , and the product of the hydrogen concentration and the difference of hydrogen chemical potential, . It is found that the mobility for hydrogen diffusion during hydrogen permeation is larger for Nb-based alloys than pure niobium, especially at low temperature. The activation energy of the mobility for hydrogen diffusion decreases by the addition of ruthenium, tungsten or molybdenum into niobium.

Abstract: A concept for alloy design of Nb-based hydrogen permeable alloys has been proposed based on the mechanical properties of niobium in hydrogen atmosphere and also on the hydrogen chemical potential in metal membrane. Following this concept, Nb-based alloys are designed and developed that possess excellent hydrogen permeability without showing any hydrogen embrittlement.

Abstract: The hydrogen solubility and the hydrogen permeability have been measured for Nb-based alloys in order to investigate the alloying effects on the hydrogen diffusivity during hydrogen permeation. The hydrogen diffusion coefficient during hydrogen permeation is estimated from a linear relationship between the normalized hydrogen flux, , and the difference of hydrogen concentration, C, between the inlet and the outlet sides of the membrane. It is found that the hydrogen diffusion coefficient during the hydrogen permeation is increased by alloying ruthenium or tungsten into niobium. On the other hand, the activation energy for hydrogen diffusion in pure niobium under the practical permeation condition is much higher than the reported values measured for dilute hydrogen solid solutions. It is interesting that the activation energy for hydrogen diffusion decreases by the addition of ruthenium or tungsten into niobium.

Abstract: The hydrogen diffusion coefficients are investigated during the hydrogen permeation through Nb-based hydrogen permeable membranes at high temperature. It is found that the hydrogen diffusion coefficient for pure niobium under practical conditions is much lower than the reported values measured for dilute hydrogen solid solutions. Surprisingly, the hydrogen diffusion is found to be faster in Pd-Ag alloy with fcc crystal structure than in pure niobium with bcc crystal structure at 773K during the hydrogen permeation. It is also found that the addition of Ru or W into niobium increases the hydrogen diffusion coefficient under the practical conditions.

Abstract: The alloying effects of Pd on the hydrogen solubility and the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement are investigated for Nb-xmol%Pd-ymol%Zr (x=0~19; y=0, 1) alloys. The hydrogen solubility at 673 K is found to decrease with increasing Pd content in the alloys. Both pure Nb and Nb-Pd alloys possessed ductility in vacuum at 673 K. However, severe hydrogen embrittlement occurs in pure Nb when it is tested under the hydrogen pressure even as low as 0.01 MPa. In view of the small punch (SP) absorption energy, the addition of Pd into Nb improves the resistance to hydrogen embrittlement by decreasing the hydrogen solubility in the alloy, although brittle fracture is still observed in the Nb-15mol%Pd alloy tested under a hydrogen pressure of 0.015 MPa at 673 K.

Abstract: Pure Ca(AlH4)2 is synthesized and its decomposition reactions are investigated in a fundamental manner. The XRD profile observed is in good agreement with the one reported by Fichtner et al. From TDS measurements, Ca(AlH4)2 appears to decompose into CaH2+2Al+3H2 in three steps. The peak temperature of the first reaction is about 470K which is higher than that for Mg(AlH4)2 (about 450K), indicating that Ca(AlH4)2 is more stable hydride than Mg(AlH4)2. In addition, the catalysis of TiCl3 is doped into Ca(AlH4)2 by ball milling under a hydrogen gas atmosphere and catalytic effects on the decomposition properties are investigated.

Abstract: A new expression for the chemical bond in perovskite-type oxides is proposed based on the atomization energy concept. The atomization energies,
Eo for oxygen atom and
EM for metal atom in each oxide are evaluated theoretically using the energy density analysis of the total energy, and the 9EO vs. 9EM diagram called atomization energy diagram, is constructed. Every oxide can be located on the atomization energy diagram, although there are significant differences in the nature of the chemical bond among the oxides.