Radiation-chemical decomposition of heavy metals azides; Silver azide radiolysis kinetics

Abstract

The complex kinetics study of radiation-chemical silver azide decomposition in anion and cation sublattices has been made using three mutually complemented techniques: nitrogen detection evolving into the environment, nitrogen kept by the crystal lattice after dissolving the irradiated crystal, and chemical analysis of silver separated after dissolving irradiated samples in a variety of solvents. The dissolution of irradiated silver azide was stated to have been complicated by complex secondary processes catalyzed with radiolytic silver particles. The possible model of those processes resulting in silver particle autodevelopment has been suggested. Kinetics mechanisms of metal accumulation and nitrogen kept by the crystal lattice have been considered. The facts regarding silver particle formation on the surface impurity centers located in the deformed crystal areas in the vicinity of surface macrodefects have been deduced. The parameters of formation stages and radiolytic silver particle growth have been estimated. The comparable analysis of silver azide radiolysis kinetics in anion and cation sublattices has been made and the relationship of these processes during silver particle formation has been obtained.