Hydrogen Absorption into Titanium under Cathodic Polarization: An In-Situ Neutron Reflectometry and EIS Study

Abstract

Hydrogen (deuterium) absorption into sputter-coated titanium (Ti) film electrodes during cathodic polarization in heavy water (D2O) was monitored using in-situ neutron reflectometry (NR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The scattering length density (SLD) of Ti metal increased with increasing cathodic polarization, due to the penetration of deuterium through the surface oxide and into the underlying metal. The rate of D absorption estimated from the NR data showed a pattern with four distinctive regions separated by potential boundaries between −0.35 and −0.4 VSCE and around ∼−0.6 VSCE. EIS results support division of the behavior into these potential ranges. Hydrogen absorption by Ti was observed at potentials