Amorphous carbon, evaporated on a thin oxide layer covered U-0.1 wt% Cr sample, was proven to significantly catalyze H-2 reaction with the metal. A hydride was formed preferentially on the carbon-covered surface, for vacuum pretreatment temperatures of 150 and 190 degrees C and hydrogen reactions of 150 and 90 degrees C, respectively. Dependence of the reaction rate on the thickness of the layer was observed. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.