Highly concentrated potassium carbonate aqueous solutions are studied by picosecond pulse radiolysis with the purpose of exploring the formation processes of carbonate radical CO3(•-). The transient absorption band of solvated electron produced by ionizing is markedly shifted from 715 to 600 nm when the solute concentration of K2CO3 is 5 mol L(-1). This spectral shift is even more important than that observed for the solvated electron in 10 mol L(-1) KOH solutions. The broad absorption band of solvated electron in K2CO3 solutions overlaps with that of carbonate radical CO3(•-) formed at ultrashort time. Nitrate ion is used to scavenge the solvated electron and to observe the contribution of carbonate radical CO3(•-). The analysis of the amplitude and the kinetics of carbonate radical formation in highly concentrated solutions shows that CO3(•-) is formed within the electron pulse (7 ps) by two parallel mechanisms: a direct effect on the solute and the oxidation of the solute by water radical hole H2O(•+). These two mechanisms are followed by an additional one, by reaction between the solute and OH(•) radical especially in lower concentration. The radiolytic yield of each process is discussed.

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