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.