Synthesis and Stability of Liquid Molecular DT

Regular equimolar deuterium-tritium is a mixture of 25 mol% T₂-50% DT-25% D₂. We have synthesized molecular DT of greater purity by the reaction run at 243 K. With both the alcohol and reactor-to-cryostat transfer lines at room temperature, we obtain 88 mol% DT purity. By cooling the alcohol and holding the transfer lines at 80 K, the yield rose to 95% DT. The DT disproportionated to D₂ and T₂ with a 1/e time constant of about 100 hr in the liquid at 20.5 K. Nuclear magnetic resonance data showed that the eventual T₂-DT-D₂ equilibrium is probably a “hot-atom” one.