Recombination of deuterium atoms on the surface of molten Li–LiD

Measurements of the rate constant kr describing the surface recombination of deuterium atoms into molecules, were made for various molten mixtures of Li–LiD using a thermal desorption technique. The results are found to follow an Arrhenius relationship in the temperature range 573–873 K and are compared to the prediction of a kinetic model for the release of hydrogen from metals. The data are lower than would be predicted by the model for an atomically clean surface, but lower than predicted recombination rates are ubiquitous with this type of measurement and well known to result from surface contamination, which reduces surface-site availability and gives rise to variations in the surface chemisorption potential.