Neutronen für die Analyse von Wasserstoff in Festkörpern

Recent advancement of renewable energy applications lead to increased focus in materials and surface science on hydrogen technologies. Neutron-based analytical methods are wellsuited to detect structural sites and dynamics of hydrogen in solids. Because of its large incoherent scattering cross-section, very small quantities of hydrogen are detectable. This article gives an overview over fundamental aspects of neutron methods and discusses some selected examples of analysis techniques. Results of structural investigations, for kinetics observed by quasielastic scattering as well as decomposition mechanisms investigated by non-elastic scattering are shown for alanates, as important materials for hydrogen storage. Furthermore, small angle diffraction studies of the mesoscopic structure of polymer membranes and of electrodes for fuel cells are presented. Finally, observations of geometric changes in thin metal oxide layers due to incorporation of hydrogen by neutron reflectometry are described.