Upgrade in catalytic activity of hydrophobic platinum catalysts by irradiation with electron beams

疎水性白金触媒の電子線照射による触媒活性の向上

岩井 保則

Iwai, Yasunori

疎水性白金触媒は水蒸気-水素間水素同位体交換反応やトリチウム酸化の用途にて核融合分野で広く使用されている。疎水性触媒の触媒活性は空気中の水蒸気や水ミストのほかに燃焼反応により生成する水にもほとんど影響されない特徴を持つ。一般的に疎水性触媒は多孔性の疎水性高分子に白金を担持することで作成される。日本はスチレンジビニルベンゼンを疎水性高分子とした疎水性白金触媒をトリチウム水処理システムに採用してきた実績を有する。システム規模低減のためには触媒活性の可能な限りの向上が必要である。二種類の疎水性白金触媒を電子線で照射した場合のトリチウム酸化性能の変化を精査した。両方の触媒とも線量の増加とともに疎水性触媒の触媒活性は向上し、500から1000kGyにて総括反応速度係数はピーク値を示し、それ以降の線量では徐々に低下することを見出した。総括反応速度係数のピーク値は未照射の6倍の値を示した。スチレンジビニルベンゼンは放射線に対する耐久性が強く、この程度の線量では機械的強度に影響はなく、簡易に触媒活性を向上可能な有力な方法であることを見出した。

Hydrophobic platinum catalysts have been widely applied in the field of nuclear fusion for the exchange reactions of hydrogen isotopes between hydrogen and vapor in the water detritiation system, and for the oxidation of tritium on the atmospheric detritiation system. Hydrophobic platinum catalysts are hardly susceptible to water mist and water vapor. Hydrophobic platinum catalysts are produced by supporting platinum directly on hydrophobic polymer beads. For the hydrophobic polymer, styrene - divinyl benzene (SDB) has been applied in Japan. It can be pointed out that the upgrade in catalytic activity of hydrophobic catalyst is expected to downsize the catalytic reactor based on a hard look at a large increase in flow rate in future. The upgrade in catalytic activity of two types of commercial Pt/SDB catalysts was found when they were irradiated with electron beams. After irradiation with electron beams, the catalytic activity was evaluated by means of overall reaction rate constant for the oxidation of tritium. The overall reaction rate constant increased as increase in dose. The constant showed the peak value in the dose between 500 to 1000 kGy. After the peak, the constant decreased as increase in dose. The overall reaction rate constant at the peak was 6 times larger than that evaluated with unirradiated. The mechanical strength of irradiated Pt/SDB kept sound until 1500 kGy. The irradiation is a promising method to the upgrading in catalytic activity of Pt/SDB catalyst.