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Title: Californium oxide--palladium cermet wire as a $sup 252$Cf neutron source form

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4344783· OSTI ID:4344783

An improved /sup 252/Cf neutron source form has been developed to enhance containment of /sup 252/Cf during production of the sources and to lower the sale price of /sup 252/Cf sources by commercial encapsulators. Process steps are described for preparing califomnium oxide-palladium cermet powder by palladium chemical plating, fabrication of cermet pellets by pressing and sintering, fabrication of bare wire by rolling, and adjustment (reduction) of / sup 256/Cf linear concentration by roll cladding. /sup 252/Cf is distributed uniformly in the wires, which can be made in concentrations suitable for a full range of industrial source strengths (from 1 x 10/sup 7/ to 2.6 x 10/sup 10/ n/ sec). These processes were developed in laboratory tests with stead-ins and /sup 252/Cf tracer, and were demonstrated with milligram quantities of /sup 252/Cf in the Target Fabrication Facility (TFF). Improved wire forming techniques are being developed to manufacture clad wire on a larger scale. (auth)

Research Organization:
Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River Lab.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AT(07-2)-1
NSA Number:
NSA-29-015806
OSTI ID:
4344783
Report Number(s):
DP-1320
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-74
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English