Progress of Cryogenics and Isotopes Separation

CHARACTERISTICS IMPROVEMENT OF HYDROPHOBIC POLYTRAFLUROETHYLENE – PLATINUM CATALYSTS FOR TRITIUM SEPARATION

IRINA POPESCU^a, GHEORGHE IONITA^a, DENISA DOBRINESCU^a, CARMEN VARLAM^a, IOAN STEFANESCU^a, CATALIN DUCU^b

^aInstitute for Cryogenics and Isotope Technologies,240401Rm. Valcea, ROMANIA, http://www.icsi.ro
^bPitesti Uniersity, 110040 Pitesti, ROMANIA

ABSTRACT:
 
Based on the long experience of the authors in the preparation, testing and evaluation of the performances of hydrophobic catalysts and based on the reviewed references, this paper presents up-to-date R&D activities on the preparation methods and applications of the hydrophobic catalysts in tritium separation. The objectives of the paper are: (1) how to improve the characteristics and performance of platinum hydrophobic catalysts; (2) to assess and find a new procedure for the preparation of a new improved  hydrophobic catalyst. From reviewed references platinum is considered to be the most active and efficient catalytic metal and that polytetrafluoroethylene is the best wet-proofing agent.
A new improved hydrophobic Pt-catalyst has been proposed and is now underway to be tested. The main steps and experimental conditions of preparation are largely discussed. A new wet-proofing agent and new binding agents (titanium dioxide, cerium dioxide, zirconium dioxide) with a catalytic role are proposed and tested. The physico-structural parameters of the improved catalyst have been determined and are discussed in detail. The new proposal is a promising idea to improve the performance of conventional hydrophobic Pt-catalysts.
KEYWORDS: hydrophobic catalysts, theory, design and fabrication