Hydrogen Solubility and Resistance to Hydrogen Embrittlement of Nb-Pd Based Alloys for Hydrogen Permeable Membrane

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.