ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
Latest Magazine Issues
Dec 2025
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
January 2026
Nuclear Technology
December 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
November 2025
Latest News
Christmas Light
’Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house
No electrons were flowing through even my mouse.
All devices were plugged by the chimney with care
With the hope that St. Nikola Tesla would share.
C. W. Pennington, T. S. Elleman, K. Verghese
Nuclear Technology | Volume 22 | Number 3 | June 1974 | Pages 405-415
Technical Paper | Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT74-A31424
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Tritium diffusion measurements in niobium were carried out over the temperature range 400 to 950°C by direct measurements of both concentration profiles and surface release rates. The 6Li(n,α)3H reaction was used to inject tritium into the specimens and produce an initial tritium atom fraction lower than 0.01 ppm. The concentration profiles showed a high surface concentration in a surface region 1 to 2 µm thick and a nearly flat bulk diffusion profile deeper into the sample. Surface release rate measurements of tritium verified the existence of a surface trapping layer. The surface trapping was attributed to oxide films formed at room temperature. The surface release data were analyzed using diffusion models to determine tritium diffusion coefficients within the surface film and the diffusion coefficients controlling release from the bulk through the film. The tritium diffusion coefficients within the surface film are about eight to ten orders of magnitude lower than the bulk diffusion coefficients. Between 600 and 900°C, the film barrier to tritium diffusion appears to change and surface layer diffusion coefficients approach the bulk diffusion coefficients at higher temperatures.