HYDROGEN ISOTOPE-SEPARATION BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY USING PD-PT ALLOY

A new type of chromatography for hydrogen isotope separation was devel oped employing a Pd-Pt alloy (8 at.% Pt) as functional material. It co uld separate a H-2-D-2 mixture into H-2 and D-2 in the temperature ran ge of 274-297 K in a short time with simple operation procedures witho ut introducing ally replacement gas. An elusion mechanism plays an imp ortant role in the separation, and a replacement mechanism and/or a mi xing effect may also be participating. A good separation can be expect ed under conditions of moderate operation temperature, a high carrier gas pressure and a slow flow rate. The new chromatography has potentia l for application in isotope separation systems for thermonuclear fusi on devices. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.