Effect of the Addition of Boron Compounds on Hydrazine Formation in the Radiolysis of an Aqueous Solution of Ammonia

Abstract

The effect of boron compound additives on hydrazine formation in the radiolysis of an aqueous solution of ammonia has been studied. Suitable boron compounds such as NH₄BF₄ and C₂H₅NH₂BF₃ were used as source of ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li reaction. Ammonium hydroxide containing an additive was irradiated with thermal neutrons in the reactor KUR, When NH₄BF₄ was added to 15M ammonium hydroxide, the yield of hydrazine depended on the boron concentration but did not depend on the irradiation time. On the other hand, hydrazine formed in the presence of C₂H₅NH₂BF₃ had a maximum value at about 5×10²¹eV/ml absorption dose. The characteristics of the added boron compounds are discussed with comparisons made between radiolysis incited by in-pile and ⁶⁰Co γ irradiation. The effects of the additives are explained in terms of the hot atom effect of ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li reaction and the protecting effect of the resulting Lewis type acid, which inhibits the decomposition of hydrazine by scavenging the •H and •NH₂ radicals.