Self-radiolysis of tritiated water adsorbed on silica gel

Abstract

Self-radiolysis of tritiated water adsorbed on silica gel has been studied. The yields of the hydrogen gas evolved were much larger than those in radiolysis of liquid water. An energy transfer phenomenon similar to that observed in γ-radiolysis of water on silica gel also plays a role, and the hydrogen yield is expressed as a function of surface coverage and surface hydroxyl concentration. The results indicate that the predominant mechanism involved is very similar in γ- and β-irradiations, and a difference in linear energy transfer between the β-ray from 3H and γ-ray from 60Co has no measurable effect on the formation of hydrogen gas.