USE OF SOME CATALYSTS IN RADIOLYTICAL SPLIT OF WATER

Abstract

The present paper deals with the study of catalyzed water radiolysis under the influence of γ-rays emitted by a 60Co source (Λ = 3 × 104 Ci) with a dose rate of 8.3 kGy/h, for hydrogen production. Thirty-one solid inorganic compounds, insoluble in water, were tested as catalysts. They belong to: coordination compounds of some metallic ions with organic ligands based on salycilaldehyde or naphthalenaldehyde derivatives, mixed oxides, RhCl3 supported on a Al2O 3 layer and bimetallic compounds with EDTA ligand. The released hydrogen quantity, determined by mass spectrometry, was approximately 7-35 times greater than the one produced by simple radiolysis of water, in the absence of catalysts.