On the Synthesis, Selfradiolysis, and Catalytic Decomposition of Tritiated Ammonia and Methane

Based on experimental results on the catalytic decomposition of ammonia and methane into the elements a process for DT - recycling of molecular and chemically bonded deuterium / tritium from the fusion reactor exhaust gas is under development at KfK. In this context typical plasma contaminants like methane and ammonia tritiated to nearly 50% were synthesized on a 1 to 2·10¹² Bq (30 to 50 Ci) scale. The radiolytic reactions were followed from the rate of disappearance of ammonia and the formation of nitrogen / hydrogen in case of tritiated ammonia and from the disappearance of methane and the formation of hydrogen in case of tritiated methane. The apparent half-lifes of tritiated methane and tritiated ammonia were determined to be approx. 250 hours and 550 hours respectively. The catalytic cracking reactions of tritiated ammonia and tritiated methane followed the behaviour anticipated from corresponding cold experiments.