Radiolytic Gas Production from Tritiated Water Adsorbed on Molecular Sieve 5A

Abstract

Hydrogen evolution from ⁶⁰Co γ- and ³H β-irradiated molecular sieve 5A adsorbing HTO was measured. The results showed an additional evolution of H₂(HT) gas due to energy transfer from molecular sieve to adsorbed water in both γ- and β-irradiations, and the yield at a given irradiation dose was higher than that from radiolysis of liquid HTO but lower than that in the silica gel-HTO system. The additional yield was formulated as a function of the amount of adsorbed water and irradiation dose. However a large difference in hydrogen yields was observed between γ- and β-irradiations contrary to silica gel-HTO system. A possible reason is considered.

KEYWORDS:

• cobalt 60
• energy transfer
• gamma radiation
• hydrogen yield
• irradiation
• molecular sieve 5A
• radiation doses
• radiolysis
• tritiated water
• tritium