Solubility of Noble Gases in Molten Fluorides. I. In Mixtures of NaF–ZrF4 (53–47 Mole %) and NaF–ZrF4–UF4 (50–46–4 Mole %)

Abstract

Solubilities of He, Ne, Ar, and Xe were determined at pressures from 0.5 to 2 atmospheres in NaF-- ZrF/sub 4/ (53--47 mole %) at 600, 700, and 800 d . The solubilities increase linearly with gas pressure, decrease with increasing atomic weight of the solute and increase with increasing temperature. Henry's law constarts in moles of solute/(cm/sup 3/ solution)(atmosphere) at 600 d are 21.611 x10/sup -8/, 11.3 plus or minus 0.3 x10/sup -8/, 5.06 plus or minus 0.15 x 10/sup -8/, and 1.94 plus or minus 0.2 x 10/sup -8/ while heats of solution are 6.2, 7.8, 8.2, and 11.1 kcal/mole for He, Ne, Ar, and Xe, respectively. Solubilities and heats of solution for He and Xe in NaF--ZrF/sub 4/ --UF/sub 4/ (50--46--4 mole % are very similar to the values obtained with these gases in the NaF-- ZrF/sub 4/ mixture. (auth)