Tritium Recovery from Tritiated Water by Electrolysis

Enrichment of slightly concentrated tritiated water by electrolysis using a palladium cathode coated on ionic solid polymer membrane—Design and results

“…Its value was independently verified in gas-gas diffusion for a tritium-hydrogen mixture and is considered to be 0.6 with making allowance for the temperature effect [5]. This value is in agreement with those of Lewis [14] and Lasser [21].…”

“…This value is lower than that obtained in the limiting diffusion [3]. Lower value signifies less embrittlement by reduction of two hydrogened phases in palladium where the lattice lengths differ [5].…”

“…Electrolysis involves four stages [5]: generation of hydrogen by electrolysis of low-level tritiated water, adsorption of H on the palladium cathode membrane, proton diffusion through the palladium and desorption of hydrogen to the outside of the palladium cathode. The three first stages are the most critical since the desorption occurs freely on the exit face.…”

“…During electrolysis, adsorption of hydrogen on the palladium is facilitated by initially incorporating finely divided palladium particles [5] on the surface and in the first cavities of the surface of Nafion. This is done by soaking the Nafion membrane in a palladium nitrate solution.…”

Changes of the breaking strain from content of tritium and cycling in a palladium cathode membrane

“…The cavity formation and dislocation loops depend on surface tension of the cavity wall, the cavity radius and the helium volume. In the publication of Bellanger et al [17], bubbles and dislocation loop formation can be clearly seen by SEM after 2-year of aging. In this sample, the helium-3 concentration was ∼6000 ppm.…”