Hydrogen in aluminum and aluminum-lithium alloys

The properties of hydrogen in aluminum and aluminum-lithium alloys have been addressed. These alloys have a great deal of applicability in the aerospace industry and an understanding of the interaction between them and hydrogen is essential. Ultra high vacuum thermal desorption spectroscopy has been used to measure the quantity and binding energy of hydrogen to both pure aluminum and an aluminum ;It was found that the aluminum-lithium alloy absorbed considerable more hydrogen than pure aluminum. Additionally, the binding energy between the hydrogen and the numerous trapping sites was considerably greater in the aluminum-lithium alloy than the pure aluminum. The binding energy between hydrogen and d;By measuring the hydrogen from quenched aluminum-lithium samples, a solubility relationship has been developed. This represents the first published solubility relationship for hydrogen in this class of alloys.;The surface oxide layer was very important in the adsorption and desorption of hydrogen from these materials. The surface was found to absorb large quantities of hydrogen on both aluminum and aluminum-lithium samples.;Finally, the binding energy of water to aluminum and aluminum-lithium surfaces was measured. These values were 0.3 and 0.4 eV for aluminum and aluminum-lithium surfaces respectively.