Ortho- and Paratritium

KLAUS CLUSIUS zum 60. Geburtstag gewidmet Normal tritium was partially and totally converted to paratritium by adsorption on charcoal at liquid neon and liquid helium temperature. The experimentation was performed with 300 millicuries of tritium sealed in a small glass apparatus where the transformation could be performed and the paratritium concentration measured by thermal conductivity. In the adsorbed phase the conversion half-life time was one minute, about 24 times faster than normal hydrogen. In the solid phase the conversion half-life was in the order of 15 minutes. Both processes were much faster than expected.