CHEMICAL REACTIONS BETWEEN WATER AND CERTAIN METALS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES
Thermodynamic data predict that large negative freeenergy changes will attend the reaction of water with various metals which are of interest as nuclear reactor materials. Experimental investigations of the reactions have utilized a variety of procedures for initiating reaction: pouring a melt into water; autoclave and other slow methods of heating; exploding metals into water with booster charges; and disrupting metals by passing large electrical currents through them. Although at least sonne of the available evidence is conflicting, it appears certain that under the proper conditions of initiation explosive chemical reactions can be induced between water and the following metals: aluminum, magnesium, aluminum-uranium alloy (10% and 25% U) uranium. zirconiunn and aluminunn-lithium alloy (3-1/2% i). Nickel could not be made to react appreciably. These results are in accordance with the thermodynamic data for the schematic reaction: metal + water = oxide (or hydrated oxide), + hydrogen. It appears that explosive chemical reaction with water may occur in thermodynamically favorable cases, either when the metal is initially dispersed into a finely divided state or under certain other circumstances. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- North American Aviation, Inc., Downey, Calif.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-010855
- OSTI ID:
- 4281420
- Report Number(s):
- NAA-SR-Memo-858
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Paper Presented at Joint United Kingdom, United States, Canadian Conference on Safety of Reactors, Chalk River, Canada, October 13, 1953; Decl. Nov. 6, 1958. Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-59
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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