Surface analytical characterization of the hydrogen getter material ZrCo

Surface analytical methods have been applied to characterize the surface and surface-near layers of the hydrogen getter material ZrCo as well as those of the alloy constituents Zr and Co at temperatures up to 500 deg C. At room temperature the high stability of ZrO sub 2 and the oxygen solubility dominate the surface composition leading to a strong enrichment of oxidic Zr and adsorbed O in case of ZrCo. The thermal behaviour of the alloy surface is completely different from that of the components and explains at least qualitatively the necessity of an activation procedure for the getter material. ZrCo with high hydrogen content shows a strong correlation between H and the Zr component but not between cobalt and H. Graphs. 14 ref.--AA