Tritium retention in EBR-II-irradiated boron carbide

TL;DRAbstract

The retention and loss of tritiumfrom EBR-II-irradiated boron carbide were investigated.The tritium content of the irradiated samples, analyzed by chemical dissolution followed by liquid-scintillation counting, showed that essentially all the tritium produced by the nuclear processes is retained by the boron carbide.Rates of tritium evolution after irradiation were measuredbyheating samples in a carrier-gas stream and collecting the evolved tritium; rates of evolution were obtained as a function of temperature of the B 4 C during the heat treatment, the time of heating, and the atmosphere surrounding the sample.The repults reveal that tritium is substantially retained in B 4 C at temperatures higher than those experiencedby EBR-II high-worth control rods.However, considerable loss oftritium occurs at temperatures above 700°C.A theoretical model, based on the crystal structure of B 4 C, the properties of the tritium-producing nuclear reactions, the mechanism of recoil slowing down and t

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