Deuterium desorption temperature of Mg-Ti composites prepared by the method of atom-by-atom component mixing

Abstract

Abstract. The plasma evaporation-sputtering method has been applied to obtain composite materials of the Mg-Ti system. Variations in the temperature of the ion-implanted deuterium desorption as a function of the component concentration are studied. It has been established, that introduction of titanium into magnesium leads to the significant decrease of deuterium desorption temperature, namely, to 400-450 K as compared to ~800 K in the case of deuterium release (desorption) from magnesium. The step-like shape of the deuterium desorption temperature curve evidences on the existence of two different structural states of the Mg-Ti composite depending on the ratio of components. The deuterium temperature drop can be caused by filamentary inclusions composed of titanium atoms in magnesium (insoluble component in magnesium) produced in the process of composite formation and providing the deuterium release from the sample at lower temperature (channels for deuterium diffusion and desorption through the surface barrier). The deuterium desorption data obtained on the example of Mg-Ti composites provide a support for further research into hydrogen storage materials containing not readily soluble chemical elements in the alloy components.