Hydrogen distribution in electrochemically charged Ti thin film: High resolution SIMS analysis of electrolyte-exposed vs. electrolyte-free surfaces

Authors

Suresh Kumar A., Gerard M., Fleming Y., Sharma S., De Castro O., Wirtz T., Eswara S.

Reference

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, vol. 154, art. no. 150290, 2025

Description

Understanding hydrogen-induced changes in thin films is crucial for applications in hydrogen production, storage, fuel cells, and protective coatings, whether to optimize hydrogen uptake or mitigate its detrimental effects. In this study, we employ a highly sensitive, in-house developed double-focusing magnetic sector Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (SIMS) integrated with a commercial Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB-SEM) to investigate hydrogen-induced transformations in electrochemically charged Ti thin films. We compare conventional immersive hydrogen charging, which exposes the film surface to electrolytes, with a novel backside hydrogen charging technique, which prevents contamination and preserves surface integrity. SIMS enables nanoscale visualization of hydrogen distribution, providing critical insights into hydrogen incorporation and phase transformations. This study underscores the advantages of backside hydrogen charging as a contamination-free hydrogen loading method and establishes SIMS as a powerful tool for analysing hydrogen behaviour in thin films, advancing the development of hydrogen-based technologies.

Link

doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.150290