Glow-discharge enhanced permeation of oxygen through silver

Atomic oxygen generated by a direct current glow-discharge is studied when it permeates through a Ag0.05Zr membrane over a temperature of 650 degrees celsius. The data obtained is compared to the molecular oxygen's ordinary permeation. Results show that surface concentration of oxygen atoms is more than the solubility limit of normal thermal dissociative permeation at low temperatures and glow-discharge conditions. Flux in this glow-discharge condition is large due to very high concentration gradient.