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The usage of silver as a filtering material for removal of iodine from the gas phase of a lead–bismuth eutectic based nuclear reactor was investigated in various atmospheres representing normal operation as well as accident conditions. Thermochromatography experiments were performed to quantify the retention experienced on a silver surface by iodine species evaporated from a lead–bismuth eutectic sample. Measured adsorption enthalpies ranged from −171 to − 208 kJ mol−1 with observed differences attributed to various surface effects rather than a change in iodine speciation. The postulated adsorption mechanism is chemisorption of iodine atoms on the silver surface. Metallic silver fulfills the desired criteria for a capturing material in water-free filtering systems to be used as an alternative to traditional alkaline scrubbers commonly used in LWR systems.

Iodine evaporated from lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been examined with respect to its adsorption behavior on stainless steel in various gases to establish a base for safety evaluations on LBE based nuclear reactors. In inert conditions the iodine forms a single species with an adsorption enthalpy between − 97 and − 106 kJ/mol. The adsorbed species is tentatively identified as bismuth monoiodide, BiI. Addition of moisture to the inert gas has no substantial influence on the adsorption behaviour. For the reducing hydrogen carrier gas depositions with adsorption enthalpies ranging from − 87 to − 134 kJ/mol were observed in dry and water saturated conditions. The larger variation of adsorption enthalpies compared to analogous experiments in helium likely result from surface effects induced by the reactive gas. Formation of highly volatile species such as hydrogen iodide HI was not observed. In oxidizing conditions multiple iodine species with adsorption enthalpies ranging from − 67 to − 83 kJ/mol were observed, with the exception of one experiment where only a lower limit of –ΔHads

As a step toward licensing a lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) based reactor design, the adsorption behavior of iodine evaporated from LBE on fused silica was examined. Using inert and reducing carrier gases, depositions with an adsorption enthalpy of − 95 to − 113 kJ mol−1 were observed. These depositions are compatible with a single species, tentatively identified as bismuth monoiodide, BiI. When introducing oxidizing conditions, multiple iodine species with higher volatility form, with adsorption enthalpies ranging from − 67 to − 86 kJ mol−1. Based on an empirical correlation one of these species was identified as monatomic iodine. This work provides fundamental understanding of the LBE/iodine gaseous chemistry and related adsorption deposition behavior.

In preparation of chemical investigations of the superheavy elements (SHEs) copernicium and flerovium, model experiments with 197Hg were conducted. The interaction of elemental mercury on a sulfur surface was investigated by off-line isothermal gas chromatography. Although the formation of HgS(s) is thermodynamically favored, a strong kinetic hindrance is observed at room temperature, and thus only adsorption interactions could be addressed. A dependence of the adsorption interaction strength on the allotropic transformations of the sulfur surface was observed. The high temperatures needed to promote the chemical interaction of Hg with S prevent sulfur from being a suitable chromatographic surface for SHEs experiments with the state-of-the-art gas phase technology.

Rapid in situ formation of metal carbonyl complexes with short-lived nuclides has been demonstrated to be feasible with recoiling ions formed in nuclear fusion and fission reactions. These carbonyl complexes are highly volatile and can be transported rapidly in a gas-stream to counting or chemistry devices. This method was already successfully applied in the chemical investigation of the superheavy element seaborgium (Z = 106) and appears promising for various fields of nuclear research. In this article, we give an overview on the current status of metal carbonyl complex studies with short-lived d-element isotopes.