Hydrogen sorption property of Zr₅₅v₂₉Fe₁₆ nanopowder synthesized by the plasma arc discharge process

The present study focused on the synthesis of a Zr-V-Fe-based nanopowder for investigating the possibility of synthesizing zirconium-based alloyed getter nanoparticles by the plasma arc discharge process. The chamber pressure and the mixing ratio of hydrogen:argon in the powder synthesis atmosphere were changed. The chemical composition, phase structure, particle size and hydrogen sorption property of the synthesized powders were analyzed using XRF, XRD, TEM, XPS and the ASTM-F798 method. The synthesized Zr-V-Fe-based powders have a different chemical composition than the raw material, Zr₅₇V₃₆Fe ₇. The chemical composition of the synthesized Zr-V-Fe-based powders approached that of the raw material with an increasing hydrogen fraction in the powder synthesis atmosphere. The synthesized Zr₅₅V ₂₉Fe₁₆ powder has a mixed phase structure of the Zr, ZrH₂, FeV and Zr(V_1-xFe_x)₂ phases. This powder has an average particle size of about 20 nm. The Zr ₅₅V₂₉Fe₁₆ nanopowder synthesized by the plasma arc discharge process showed getter characteristics, even though it had a lower hydrogen sorption speed than the Zr₅₇V₃₆Fe₇ getter powder synthesized by the conventional hydride-dehydride method.