NUCLEAR-DEBRIS FORMATION
37
Rb,O
SiOz,
Cat
Al,Q3,
°
OR
Fe,O3
MgC
OR
Fig. 15—Results of isopiestic equilibrations at 1272°C.
Alc
CaO takes up 1 mole of MoO,. The curve shows a small, negative departure from ideality.
Effect of Moisture
The previously mentioned experiments were carried out under dry,
if not anhydrous, conditions. A virtue of isopiestic results is their independence of the species present in the vapor state. The presence of
a small amount of moisture will not, therefore, affect the relative Rb,O
uptake of these systems, but it could affect the equilibrium vapor con-
centration. Several oxides of interest form gaseous hydroxides in the
presence of moisture. Glemser and Wendlandt®® have recently reviewed
information on gaseous hydroxides and present evidence for the sta-
bility of gaseous NaOH, KOH, RbOH, CsOH (precursorof “°Ba—‘*°La),
MoO,(OH),, and TeO(OH), (precursor of iodine radionuclides). Future
experiments will have to test the effect of water vapor on the distribu-
tion coefficients.