For practical applications of the oxygen-containing yttrium hydride-based photochromic films, knowledge about deposition on substrates of different types and sizes is an important issue. In this article, we report on the dynamic reactive sputter deposition of the films on small and large-area gl...

A strong photochromic effect was recently discovered in thin films of oxygen-containing yttrium hydride taking place at room temperature and reacting to ultraviolet and visible light. In this paper, we report on a lattice contraction upon illumination observed for thin-film samples of photochrom...

Monolayer oxygen-containing yttrium hydride (YHx:O) and tungsten oxide (WO3) films show photochromic properties and have many potential energy-saving applications. YHx:O/WO3 composite films have better solar energy regulation properties than their monolayers because of the photochromic synergist...

In this work, the composition of oxygen-containing yttrium hydride (YHO) thin films was investigated. The films were prepared by reactive sputter deposition, and were found for have oxygen contents on the order of several tens of per cents. We present depth-resolved atomic composition profiles o...

Thin films of yttrium hydride have for almost 20 years been under investigation for optoelectronic and solar energy applications due to the hydrogen-induced switching in electronic state from the metallic elemental yttrium and yttrium dihydride to the transparent semiconductor material yttrium t...

Photochromic oxygen-containing yttrium hydride has been synthesized using a two step process. The process consists of an initial sputter deposition of oxygen-free yttrium hydride YHx, followed by a controlled reaction with air that causes incorporation of oxygen into the material. An in-situ stu...

Thin films of yttrium oxy-hydride have interesting, reversible photochromic properties, the origin of which is poorly understood. To investigate the role of point defect mobility, we probed the effect of lattice contraction as induced by the addition of zirconium. Interestingly, we find no loss ...

Computational assessment of the discrete breathers (also known as intrinsic localised modes) is performed in nickel and palladium hydrides with an even stoichiometry by means of molecular dynamics simulations. The breathers consisting of hydrogen and metallic atoms were excited following the exp...

Delayed hydride cracking (DHC) threatens the safety and integrity of Zircaloy components. The typical feature of DHC is presented as the intermittent fracture with the striations on the fracture surface. To reproduce the multi-field coupling process and reflect the essential features of DHC, an ...

The formation of uranium hydride is recognised as a hazard during the storage of uranium metal owing to its potentially pyrophoric properties. This study has assessed the influence of water vapour on the potential for uranium hydride to form at low temperatures and shows that it increases the du...

Uranium as an important energy material plays a significant role within the field of material sciences and nuclear industrial applications. However, metallic uranium is chemically active in ambient environment and is easily oxidized and corroded, leading to not only deterioration of its properti...

This paper assesses potential delayed-hydride cracking (DHC) of cladding materials in long-term storage and disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). The potential stress development of cladding is evaluated based on time-dependent UO2 matrix swelling by alpha-decay irradiation effects, especially. ...

The oxidation behaviour of uranium hydride when exposed to oxygen gas either gradually or instantaneously at an ambient temperature of approximately 37 °C has been investigated. The proportion of the sample converted to oxide and the mean hydride mound temperature rise accompanying the oxidatio...

The formation of uranium hydride (UH3) during storage of uranium metal poses a hazard owing to its potentially pyrophoric behaviour that affects handling procedures during uranium storage, decommissioning legacy facilities and waste immobilisation. Partial oxidation of UH3 by water significantly...

The influence of sample cleaning preparation on the early stages of uranium hydriding has been examined, by using four identical samples but concurrently prepared using four different methods. The samples were reacted together in the same corrosion cell to ensure identical exposure conditions. F...

The present work examines the effect of surface geometry on the reaction between hydrogen gas and uranium metal, forming uranium hydride (UH3), a pyrophoric compound of significance to the civil nuclear industry. Hydride formation was initiated on uranium samples that had been patterned with a f...

Uranium hydride (UH3) is the direct product of the reaction between uranium metal and gaseous hydrogen. In the context of uranium storage, this corrosion reaction is considered deleterious, not just because the structure of the metal may become significantly degraded but also because the resulti...

Hydrogen desorption isotherms were measured in the system TmFe2Hx for 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 4.4 at temperatures of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 °C. Pressure plateaux on the isotherms indicate the existence of three hydride phases in addition to the terminal hydrogen-saturated metal α phase. An isopleth of TmFe2H1.0...

Hydrogen desorption isotherms were measured in the system LuCo3Hx for [0 ⩽ x ⩽ 3.6 at temperatures of 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80°C. Pressure plateaux on the isotherms indicate the existence of two hydride phases in addition to the hydrogen-saturated metal α phase. The α and β phases exist over ver...

Thermal analysis, equilibration, and X-ray data are reported for the condensed TmCl3-Tm system. Thulium(II) chloride melts congruently at 718 ± 3 °C and is isostructural with DyCl2 and YbCl2 with a0 = 6.55, b0 = 6.68, c0 = 6.93 Å, all ± 0.02 Å. The dichloride dissolves in water to give a sh...