The reactions of recoil tritium atoms with water—III: Apparent phase effect between liquid and solid phases

Abstract

The reactions of recoil tritium atoms with water in the solid phase were studied in the presence of oxygen. The yields of HT and H 2 were determined experimentally as a function of irradiation time. The percentage yield of HT successively decreases with increasing irradiation time and at 1 min irradiation, it goes down to roughly 1 6 of that found in the liquid phase. With the value of 11% as an energetic HT yield, which was determined in the liquid phase, the variation of the HT yield vs the irradiation time was calculated by taking into account the elimination of HT through the reaction with OH radical resulting from the radiolysis of water. A consistent agreement was noticed between the experimental results and calculated ones. This fact indicates that the decrease of HT yield from liquid to solid phase is not ascribed to the difference in the energetic reaction yields in both phases, but rather results from an elimination of HT through its reaction with OH radical from water radiolysis in the solid phase. Therefore, it can be deduced that no significant difference exists in the energetic reaction of recoil tritium atoms with water between in the liquid and solid phase.