Plutonium (4) reduction by hydrazine in the presence of solid-phase catalysts in nitric acid solutions

Spectrophotometric method is used to study kinetics of plutonium (4) reduction by hydrazine in nitric acid solutions in the presence of metallic ruthenium applied to inert supporter. Ruthenium is shown to accelarate Pu(4) reduction. The reaction rate is of the first order by metal and hydrazine and is -1 by nitric acid concentration. The reaction rate constant is increased with s:l growth, and also with increase of Ru content on silica gel and temperature growth. The process activation energy is 76 kJ/mol. It is stated that catalytic activity of Ru is less than that of Pt, but in comparison with the latter ruthenium does not decompose hydrazine, thus removing gassing