Production of Aluminum Hydride by Hydrogen-Ion Bombardment

Abstract

An ultrapure aluminum target specimen was bombarded with 12.5-MeV deuterons for 300 μA·h. The specimen was sufficiently thick so that all the hydrogen was trapped within it. At no time did the temperature exceed 300°F. X-ray diffraction studies of the specimen indicated the formation of a new phase with the hexagonal structure predicted for aluminum hydride and d spacings which coincide with those given for aluminum hydride in the literature. Least-squares analysis of 21 diffraction peaks shows a hexagonal structure with c/a=1.57±0.05, c=4.55±0.08 Å, and a=2.90±0.05 Å.