HEAVY WATER ANALYSIS IN THE 1% TO 99% D$sub 2$O RANGE BY INFRARED SPECTROPHOTOMETRY

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1961

OSTI ID:4808526

Stevens, W H; Bayly, J G; Thurston, W; Kartha, V B

Two infrared methods have been developed for analysis of heavy water in the 1 to 99% D/sub 2/O concentration range. A Perkin-Elmer Model 21 double-beam spectrophotometer was used with the addition of a variable neutral attenuating filter in the reference beam. One method is based on measurement of optical densities at transmission peaks, at about 2700 and 1900 cm/sup -1/. These peaks result from the overlapping of several absorption bands in the H/sub 2/O -HDO -D/ sub 2/O system. The method is empirical. With a 0.25 mm sample thickness the standard deviation is 0.01% at 99% D/sub 2/O, 0.1% at 40% D/sub 2/O, and 0.01% at 1% D/sub 2/O. The second method is based on measurement of optical densities at 1645, 1460, and 1220 cm/sup -1/, the nu /sub 2/ normal vibrations of H/sub 2/O, HDO, and D/sub 2/O, respectively. Composition of a sample can be calculated from these optical densities since extinction coefficients have been determined, and Beer's Law shown to hold, for each component at these wavenumbers. In practice, the composition can be determined from the ratios of the transmittances at these wavenumbers by means of a nomograph. With a 0.025 mm sample thickness the standard deviation is <0.15% D/sub 2/O over the 1 to 99% D/sub 2/O concentration range. (auth)

• Research Organization: Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Chalk River, Ont.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-011510
• OSTI ID: 4808526
• Report Number(s): CRDC-1051; AECL-1391
• Country of Publication: Canada
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
CHEMISTRY
DIAGRAMS
FILTERS
FREQUENCY
HEAVY WATER
INFRARED RADIATION
NOMOGRAMS
OSCILLATIONS
PHOTOMETRY
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
REFLECTION
SPECTROSCOPY
WATER