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The effects of hydrogen isotopes in tritium recovery gas and the presence of helium on the tritium release behaviors were investigated for lithium meta-titanate (Li 2 TiO 3 ) to develop a tritium migration model. The tritium trapping sites as oxygen vacancies and oxygen atoms with dangling bonds were formed by energetic tritium ion implantation. Isotope exchange processes with water vapor in purge gas enhanced the recovery of tritium adsorbed on the surface of Li 2 TiO 3 and trapped in oxygen vacancies. Replacement of tritium as hydroxyl groups with hydrogen isotopes from purge gas was hardly occurred due to the higher trapping energy of tritium as hydroxyl groups. Helium implantation would induce the formation of helium bubbles, which would occupy irradiation damages, contributing to the decrease in the densities of trapping site for tritium. Consequently, the addition of hydrogen isotopes in the tritium recovery gas and the presence of helium in tritium breeding materials can contribute to the efficient tritium recovery for tritium breeding materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The dependence of irradiation defect density on hydrogen isotope release behaviors in Li2TiO3 was studied. Li2TiO3 was exposed to gaseous deuterium and, thereafter, gamma-ray irradiation was performed with various gamma-ray doses to change the density of irradiation defects. The deuterium release behavior was measured by TDS. The density of the defects and the state of O D bonds in the sample were elucidated by ESR and FT-IR, respectively. Most of deuterium was adsorbed on the surface or trapped by intrinsic defects after deuterium gas exposure. However, O D bonds were increased as the gamma-ray dose was increased. In addition, the irradiation defects like E-center, O−-center and O2 −-center were observed in gamma-ray irradiated samples. This indicated that the density of irradiation defect control the deuterium stable trapping by oxygen. These facts conclude that tritium release temperature will be shifted toward higher temperature as the operation time increased and irradiation defects are accumulated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]