CTR related tritium research at LASL

The solubility and diffusion coefficients of H2 in Li contained in a cylinder of Nb/1 percent Zr were measured in the temperature range 805-9050C at a pressure of 575 Pa. Appropriate corrections for the solubility of H2 in Nb/1 percent Zr were made. As expected, a finite solid cylinder diffusion model adequately delineates the time-dependent consumption of H2 in Li. The diffusion coefficient was found to vary from 3.88 x 10-5 to 6.92 x 10-5 cm2/sec and the activation energy was estimated to be 14.7 kcal/mole. The use of low melting eutectic mixtures containing Y, La, and Ce for extracting tritium from molten lithium is being investigated. Eutectic mixtures being investigated include the 16 percent in La, 12 percent Fe in Ce and 16 percent Co in Ce. At 8750K the molar distribution coefficients for tritium between these eutectic mixtures and lithium are less than or equal to 100. The temperature coefficients for these distributions are also being investigated. The pressure-composition-temperature diagram for the La5Ni-deuterium system is being studied. A ΔH of --39.7 kcal/mole D2 was measured for the composition D/La 1.5. (auth)