Demonstration on endurance of ion exchange membrane immersed in high-concentration tritiated water under the Broader Approach activities

Iwai, Yasunori; Sato, Katsumi; Kawamura, Yoshinori; Yamanishi, Toshihiko

The Nafion ion exchange membrane is a key material for electrolysis cells of the water detritiation system. Endurance of ion exchange membrane immersed into high-concentration tritiated water has been demonstrated under the Broader Approach activities, as a R&D on endurance of fuel cycle components at high tritium exposure. Long-term exposure of Nafion ion exchange membrane into 1.38 TBq/kg of tritiated water was conducted at room temperature for up to 2 years. The curves of percent elongation at break vs. dose and tensile strength vs. dose for the Nafion membranes immersed into tritiated water were well consistent with those for Nafion membranes irradiated to an equivalent dose with rays and electron beams. The results of ferric Fenton test indicated that the degradation directly by radiation was dominant at room temperature compared with that by reactions with radicals produced from water radiolysis. The curve of ion exchange capacity vs. dose for the Nafion membranes immersed into tritiated water was also well consistent with that for Nafion membranes irradiated to an equivalent dose with rays and electron beams. These results showed that the irradiation tests with rays and electron beams were effective to predict a degradation behavior of ion exchange membrane immersed into high-concentration tritiated water.