THE EFFECT OF PILE RADIATION ON THE CARBON DIOXIDE-GRAPHITE REACTION

The effect of pile radiation on the decomposition of carbon dioxide and on the reaction between carbon dioxide and graphite was studied. The apparatus was an all-glass circulation system with a temperature controlled section centaining a graphite specimen in the core of the pile. The reaction was followed by analyzing the gas samples for carbon monoxide. In the absence of graphite, slight decomposition of CO/sub 2/ to carbon monoxide and oxygen was found. In the presence of graphite the formation of carbon monoxide was greater, no oxygen was found, and the rate of reaction was dependent on the volume of gas irradiated immediately upstream of the gnaphite. The radiation steady-state carbon monoxide-carbon dioxide composition was approached from CO/sub 2/-rich and CO-rich mixtures and, was shown to lie between 0.034 and 0.6% CO in CO/sub 2/ at a total pressure of one atmosphere. The results can be accounted for qualitatively if it is assumed that the reaction proceeds through active intermediates formed during the decomposition of CO/sub 2/ gas by radiation. Quantitatively, the results depend on geometrical features of the design of apparatus and, in particular, on the arrangement of the graphite sample and preirradiated gas volume. (auth)