A ZIRCONIUM-COBALT COMPOUND AS THE MATERIAL FOR A REVERSIBLE TRITIUM GETTER

An intermetallic compound of zirconium-cobalt was prepared, and the pressure-composition isotherms for the ZrCo-H system were measured in the pressure range from 10 pa (0. 1 Torr) to approximately 130 kPa (1000 Torr) and in the temperature range from 130 to 400 degree C. The equilibrium hydrogen pressures of plateaus under the experimental conditions were one or two orders of magnitude higher than that of a uranium-hydrogen system. A pronounced hysteresis between hydrogenating ones was observed. Based on the results, ZrCo is proposed as a substitute for uranium for the purpose of recovering, storing, and supplying gaseous tritium.