PROTON NMR-STUDIES OF HYDROGEN DIFFUSION BEHAVIOR FOR ZRBE2H1.4

To determine hydrogen diffusion behavior in ZrBe2Hx, where hydrogen at oms occupy hexahedral Zr3Be2 Sites, proton relaxation times have been measured between 100 K and 400 K. These relaxation times yield an acti vation energy of 0.18 +/- 0.02 eV for the proton motion, which is much smaller than activation energies for proton diffusion in ZrH(x) or Zr 2PdH(x) where tetrahedral Zr4 sites are occupied by the hydrogen atoms . Furthermore, the proton hopping rates in ZrBe2H(x) are among the fas test observed for any crystalline or amorphous ternary hydride contain ing Zr.