Radiolyticaily Generated Hydrogen and Oxygen from Plutonium Nitrate Solutions

Abstract

Hydrogen and oxygen gases radiolyticaily generated in a nitrate system by α-radiation were investigated. The following points were elucidated:

(1) Plutonium (IV) is involved in the G-value for hydrogen generation. The difference in G-values in ²⁴⁴Cm-HNO₃ solution and Pu(IV)-HNO₃, solution can be explained by the presence of Pu.

(2) No significant effect of the difference of oxidation states. Pu(IV)/Pu(VI), resulting from heating solution on the hydrogen generation was observed.

(3) Radiolytic evolution of hydrogen in plutonium nitrate solutions depends upon a height of the solution in a vessel, although this dependence is apparently less than that observed under γ-radiation.

(4) The effect of the solution height would be explained by a reaction between OH and H₂ because the effect can be approximately described by concentrations of undissociated HNO₃ and Pu(IV), which are thought to be primary scavengers of OH radicals.

(5) The G-value for oxygen generation in plutonium nitrate solutions was roughly in accord with that observed in the ²⁴⁴Cm/²¹⁰Po-HN0₃ system.

KEYWORDS:

• hydrogen
• oxygen
• G value
• alpha particles
• alpha sources
• radiulysis
• radiation chemistry
• plutonium nitrates
• nuclear fuel reprocessing