Structural and Optical Properties of Thin Film β-Ta upon Exposure to Hydrogen to Asses Its Applicability as Hydrogen Sensing Material

Structural and Optical Properties of Thin Film β-Ta upon Exposure to Hydrogen to Asses Its Applicability as Hydrogen Sensing Material

Bannenberg, L.J. (TU Delft RID/TS/Instrumenten groep)
Verhoeff, D. (TU Delft Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering)
Jonckers Newton, Nick (Student TU Delft)
Thijs, M.A. (TU Delft RID/TS/Technici Pool)
Schreuders, H. (TU Delft ChemE/O&O groep)

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

2024

Here, we study the structural and optical properties of tetragonal β-tantalum-sputtered thin films both ex situ and when exposed to hydrogen, with a focus on optical hydrogen sensing applications. Using optical transmission measurements, out-of-plane and in-plane X-ray diffraction, and X-ray and neutron reflectometry, we show that thin film β-tantalum gradually, reversibly, and hysteresis-freely absorbs hydrogen with an increasing hydrogen pressure/concentration. The gradual absorption of hydrogen with increasing hydrogen concentrations induces a change in the optical transmission and reflection. These quantities change reversibly and are hysteresis-free over at least 5 orders of magnitude in hydrogen pressure/concentration, making β-tantalum a suitable hydrogen sensing material. At all partial hydrogen pressures studied, we observe that the volumetric expansion, hydrogen-to-metal ratio, and lattice expansion are substantially smaller than for body-centered cubic α-tantalum.

metal hydrides
neutron reflectometry
optical hydrogen sensing
tantalum
thin films
X-ray diffraction

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:c5ac5edc-9c2a-4653-8548-9f31273d8f28

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsanm.3c04902

2574-0970

ACS Applied Nano Materials, 7 (2), 1757-1766

Institutional Repository

journal article

© 2024 L.J. Bannenberg, D. Verhoeff, Nick Jonckers Newton, M.A. Thijs, H. Schreuders