Separation of tritium by decomposition reaction of tritiated water with Raney alloys

Abstract

The separation of tritium from tritiated water (3.8 and 380 MBq/mol) was studied by leaching of various Raney alloys, AlNi, AlCo, AlCu(1:1), and powdered Al, with NaOH solution of tritiated water. Diluted T-hydrogen gas, about 1 10 of the original tritiated water, was released by the leaching. Remarkably enriched T-hydrogen (about 100 times the level of the original T-water) was released when the leached alloy-residue was heated to > 300°C. The stoichiometrical deficiency of Al in Raney alloy to NaOH expressed by the following equation increased the efficiency of the enrichment. Al + NaOH + H 2 O → NaAlO 2 + 3 2 H 2 . Powdered Al gave dilute T-hydrogen but no enriched T-hydrogen from the residue, though the temperature was elevated to 1000°C. The results showed that the leaching reaction of Raney alloys is available for the enrichment and recovery of tritium from tritiated water. Two reaction mechanisms for the enrichment are proposed.