Deuteration of clay minerals under gamma-irradiation

The exchange of hydrogen isotopes in the "clay mineral - heavy water " system has been investigated in relation to various doses of a gamma-irradiation (from 10(5)Gy to 10(7)Gy) using IR- and beta-spectroscopy. It is shown that gamma-irradiation catalyzes exchange of heavy hydrogen isotopes (deuterium and tritium) with protons of structural OH-groups of clay minerals. The deuteroexchange intensity depends on structural features of layered minerals and on the irradiation dose. Brucite reacts most sensitively to the dose increase. Among clay minerals, the intensity of deuteroexchange grows in the line kaolinite - montmorillonite - palygorskite. Deuteration of intra-surface OH-groups of kaolinite is characterized by significantly greater heterogeneity than that of internal OH-groups.