International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol.24, No.1, 47-52, 1999
Hysteresis of pressure-composition and electrical resistance-composition isotherms of palladium-silver alloys-deuterium system
In a combined p-c and R/Ro-c study of Pd-5 and 9.9 at.% Ag-D systems by a gas phase method, a remarkable pressure and resistance hysteresis are observed between 298-323 K. Pressure hysteresis are gradually decreased with increasing the silver content. R/Ro value increases with increasing D/M content up to alpha(max) compositions. In the (alpha+beta) two-phase region, R/Ro shows only a small increase. From beta(min) R/Ro increases abruptly with increasing D/M content. On desorbtion, R/Ro value decreases with decreasing D/M contents down to beta(min) and then remains almost constant in the (alpha+beta) two-phase region. From alpha(max)(des), R/Ro sharply decreases to a minimum value. Finally, a large resistance hysteresis is observed in the (alpha+beta) two-phase region. Such R/Ro-c hysteresis indicates that the creation of lattice strain deformations accompanied of dislocations for the beta deuteride formation are not fully annihilated during the decomposition of beta deuteride. The hysteresis is decreased with increasing temperature and silver content. For the Pd-5 at.% Ag-D system, no resistance hysteresis is observed between 348-398 K. In this case, R/Ro value is increased abruptly up to alpha(max) composition. (D/M)alpha(max) is appeared after a long holding. In the (alpha+beta) region, R/Ro remains almost constant but decreases with increasing temperature. Tn this region, the dislocation densities for the alpha<->beta transformations behave as equal in quantity and R/Ro is insensitive to small change in dislocations. The sharp increment of R/Ro values up to (D/M)alpha(max) seems to be related to the Gorsky effect. The absence of resistance hysteresis indicates that the plastic deformations created due to the beta deuteride formation are fully annihilated during its decomposition. Presently observed p-e and (R/Ro)-c behaviours are analogous to that found previously for Pd-H(D) and Pd-5 and 9.9 at.% Ag-H systems.