Tetrahedral occupancy in the Pd-D system observed by in situ neutron powder diffraction

The crystallography of the Pd-D x system has been studied by in situ neutron powder diffraction at 309 °C, in the supercritical region, and, after quenching in the pure β phase to 50 °C, in the two-phase region at 50 °C. Rietveld profile analysis of the supercritical diffraction patterns showed that 14% of D interstitials were occupying tetrahedral interstices, in sharp contrast to previous studies at lower temperatures. Tetrahedral occupancy was maintained through the two-phase region at 50 °C. These results are discussed in the light of first-principles total-energy calculations of hydrogen states in palladium.