Tritium Recoil Reactions with Water in the Gas Phase

Abstract

In the presence of I s , the HT [DT] yield in neutron-irradiated3 He-containing H 2 0 [D,0] (gas) amounts to 15.2% [17.3%]. The yield decreases with the addition of * He and tends to zero for m. f. He = 1. The main source of HT is the hot reaction T^ot + H 2 O ->• HT + OH. Tritiated water, HTO, results from both thermal and hot Τ + H 2 0 -* HTO + Η reactions. Owing to fast isotopie exchange, the respective contributions of these reactions cannot be determined. The enhanced HT yield in the gas phase as compared to the liquid phase is attributed to the dissociative de-excitation of HTO molecules produced by Τ atoms having kinetic energies higher than 7 eV.

Tritium Recoil Reactions with Gaseous and Liquid Ammonia (NH3 and ND3)

“…The formation of HT (DT) by hot processes is thus confirmed. From the HT yield in moderated T + ND3 systems, the fraction of T atoms reaching the walls of the ampoules before thermalization can be evaluated as discussed in a previous paper [4]. The experimental data obtained in '*He -moderated ND3 -C2H4 -'He mixtures are shown in Figure 4.…”

“…The gaseous samples were irradiated for 1 to 10 hours in the thermal column of the Strasbourg University Reactor equipped with a temperature-controlled furnace [7]. The neutron flux was 5 x 10'° cm"^ s"' with a cadmium ratio of 50.…”

“…However, the reactions of energetic hydrogen and tritium atoms in these systems are of importance for such various fields as cosmochemistry, plasma chemistry, fusion and fission reactor technology and environmental radiochemistry. Investigations have been limited to the reactions of tritium with water and ammonia [2][3][4][5][6].…”