Investigation on the suitability of plasma sprayed Fe-Cr-Al coatings as tritium permeation barrier

Results on the fabrication of a tritium permeation barrier by spraying Fe-C r-Al powders are described. The sprayed coatings were deposited at temperat ures below the A(c1) temperature of the ferritic-martensitic steel substrat e and no post-deposition heat treatment was applied. The aim of the investi gation was the determination of the efficiency of the coatings to act as tr itium permeation barrier. Metallurgical investigations as well as hydrogen isotope permeation measurements were carried out onto the produced coatings . The depositions were performed on ferritic-martensitic steels by means of three types of spray techniques: high velocity oxy fuel, air plasma spray and vacuum plasma spray. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved .