INVESTIGATION OF ATOMIC DEUTERIUM (HYDROGEN) EMISSION FROM THE SURFACE OF SOME TRANSITION-METAL DEUTERIDES (HYDRIDES)

Deuterium desorption from the surface of decomposing palladium deuteri de was studied while monitoring the atomic component of the desorbing gas by means of an adsorption method. A thin gold film was applied as an adsorbent active for D adsorption, but inert against interaction wi th D-2. The deuterium deposit thereby collected on the Au surface was analysed by means of thermal desorption mass spectrometry (TDMS). The atomic component of deuterium arising by desorption from decomposing P dDy was clearly detected. The experimental results obtained for PdDy a re compared with those observed during the decomposition of PdHx, as w ell as the decomposition of other hydrides including TiHz and VHu.