High temperature resistance studies of thin nickel foils exposed to hydrogen and oxygen

Resistance measurements were performed on thin nickel foils exposed to argon-oxygen gas mixtures at elevated temperatures. The resistance initially increased very rapidly then at oxygen pressures less than 0.08 atm, the resistance change decreased substantially before slowly increasing. At higher oxygen pressures no decrease in the resistance change occurred. These results are interpreted in light of hydrogen-oxygen-nickel interactions which occur as a result of hydrogen dissolution in nickel prior to oxidation The hydrogen originates from long-term hydrogen anneals prior to the oxidation.