Effect of thiocyanate additive on the gamma ray induced decomposition of sodium and potassium nitrates

Gamma ray induced decomposition of binary mixtures of sodium and potassium nitrates with their respective thiocyanate additives has been studied over an absorbed dose up to 500 kGy. The decomposition of nitrate increases with the increase in concentration of the additive in the binary mixture. The enhancement in G-values is up to 10(3)-times at > 90 mol % of the additive. G(NO2-) values calculated on the basis of electron fraction of the nitrate decrease with the increasing concentration of nitrate and absorbed dose. It is proposed that F-H centres are produced on gamma irradiation and interact with the radical species of nitrate causing energy transfer and thus enhancing the formation of NO2-.