Equilibrium in Hydrogen-Water Systems Containing Tritium

Abstract

The equilibrium constant of the reaction HT+H₂O = H₂+HTO involving radioactive hydrogen (T) has been determined over the temperature range 289 to 576°K in contact with a platinum‐charcoal catalyst. The results are summarized in the equations: $$\begin{array}{c}\log \text{K=0.292\hspace{0.17em}}\log \text{\hspace{0.17em}T+336.5/T−1.055}\\ {\mathrm{\Delta F}}^{\circ }\text{=+4.83T−1.34T}\log \text{T−1540}\\ {\mathrm{\Delta H}}^{\circ }\text{=0.58T−1540}\\ {\mathrm{\Delta S}}^{\circ }\text{=1.34}\log \text{T−4.25}\\ {\mathrm{\Delta C}}_p^{\circ }\text{=0.58±0.05\hspace{0.17em}}\mathrm{cal}\mathrm{./}\mathrm{deg}\mathrm{./}\mathrm{mole}\\ {\mathrm{\Delta H}}_o^{\circ }\text{=−1540±160\hspace{0.17em}}\mathrm{cal}\mathrm{./}\mathrm{mole}\\ \text{I=1.055.}\end{array}$$ Comparison of the experimental results with theoretical calculations by W. F. Libby indicates the correctness of these latter and confirms the assumption with respect to isotopic species that the forces acting within a molecule are unaltered by the change in nuclear mass and that any effects on the properties of the molecule are solely due to a different mass moving in the same force field.