LOW PRESSURE GASEOUS HYDROGEN-CHARGE TECHNIQUE WITH REAL TIME CONTROL

摘要

A method for hydriding a material, such as a metallic or metal alloy, using coulometric titration. The method comprises placing the material to be hydrided inside a reaction furnace; introducing a flow of a gas mixture comprising hydrogen and optionally an inert gasto a first coulometric titration cell upstream of the furnace, through the reaction furnace, and into a second coulometric titration cell downstream of said furnace; heating the upstream and downstream coulometric titration cells; applying a current of oxygen ions to the gas mixture flow of the downstream coulometric titration cell under conditions effective to convert H2 in the downstream coulometric titration cell to H2O; and monitoring the current of oxygen, allowing the material to absorb a desired amount of H2. The reduction in the current of oxygen can be monitored in real time to quantify the amount of hydrogen absorbed.