The development of efficient hydrogen recovery methods for fusion reactor divertor materials is key to their long-term stability. In this work, a novel hydrogen recovery technique using solid-state diffusion was investigated, focusing on the intrinsic hydrogen solubility properties of metals.A tungsten (W) substrate was coated with a Niobium (Nb) thin film by ion plating, followed by Deuterium plasma irradiation under ITER-relevant conditions (fluence: 5.3×10
26 /m
2). The structural evolution was evaluated by analysing the changes in lattice constants using X-ray diffraction (XRD).The results showed lattice expansion in the W substrate and unexpected contraction in the Nb thin film. This behaviour is attributed to the supersaturation of hydrogen in the W substrate, generating tensile stress in the confined Nb film due to volume expansion. The observed structural changes extended throughout the 1 mm thick substrate, suggesting significant hydrogen transport.These results indicate that while hydrogen permeation into Nb is thermodynamically favourable, the mechanical interaction between substrate and film must be carefully controlled. This work provides important insights for the design of effective hydrogen recovery systems in fusion reactor environments.
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