Thermal properties of zirconium hydride

Zirconium hydride specimens with hydrogen contents of 1.45-1.70 H/Zr were f abricated directly from zirconium metal in a modified UHV Sieverts apparatu s. All the zirconium hydride fabricated in the present study were found fro m X-ray diffraction analysis to be CaF2-type delta -ZrH2-x.At-. temperature s of 350-700 K, the heat capacity of the zirconium hydride was measured usi ng an enthalpy method by means of a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) , and the experimental results were consistent with the values estimated fr om the sound velocities and the thermal expansion coefficient. In the tempe rature range of 300-700 K, the thermal diffusivity of the zirconium hydride was examined by a laser flash method, The thermal diffusivity decreased wi th increasing temperature and was not markedly influenced by the hydrogen c ontent. The thermal conductivity of the zirconium hydride was calculated fr om thermal diffusivity and heat capacity and found to have slightly lower t hermal conductivity than pure zirconium metal. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B. V. All rights reserved.