Influence of high-power plasma streams irradiation on surface erosion behavior of reversible hydrogen getters

The paper presents results of investigations of the shielding effect observed at the interaction of pulsed plasma streams with metal-hydrides on the base of Zr55V40Fe5 alloys. A reversible hydrogen getter tablet was initially saturated with pure hydrogen and then irradiated with pulsed plasma beams. The total content of accumulated hydrogen was 2 dm3 (under normal conditions). The plasma irradiation induced desorption of accumulated hydrogen, due to the high-speed heating and the formation of gas shield layer in front of the tablet surface. That layer decreased considerably the value of an energy density, which was delivered to the sample surface. The energy densities delivered to the sample and mass losses of material have been determined as a function of a number of pulses. It was found that hydrogen buildup promotes an increase of the shielding effect.