REACTIONS OF SODIUM PEROXIDE WITH COMPONENTS OF LEGACY PLUTONIUM MATERIALS

Journal Article · Tue Oct 04 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

OSTI ID:1025907

Pierce, R; Missimer, D; Crowder, M

Plutonium oxide (PuO{sub 2}) calcined at >900 C resists dissolution in nitric acid (HNO{sub 3})-potassium fluoride (KF) solutions, a common method for their dissolution. The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) has developed an alternate method for large samples of PuO{sub 2}-bearing materials using sodium peroxide (Na{sub 2}O{sub 2}) fusion as a pretreatment. The products of the reaction between Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} and PuO{sub 2} have been reported in the literature. As part of the SRNL development effort, additional data about the reaction between Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} and PuO{sub 2} were required. Also needed were data concerning the reaction of Na{sub 2}O{sub 2} with other components that may be present in the feed materials. Sodium peroxide was reacted with aluminum metal (Al), beryllium metal (Be), graphite, potassium chloride (KCl), magnesium chloride (MgCl{sub 2}), and calcium chloride (CaCl{sub 2}). The paper reports and discusses the reaction products of these and related compounds with Na{sub 2}O{sub 2}.

• Research Organization: SRS
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC09-08SR22470
• OSTI ID: 1025907
• Report Number(s): SRNL-STI-2011-00603
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Journal Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
42 ENGINEERING
ALUMINIUM
BERYLLIUM
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
DISSOLUTION
FLUORIDES
GRAPHITE
MAGNESIUM CHLORIDES
NITRIC ACID
PEROXIDES
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
POTASSIUM CHLORIDES
SAVANNAH RIVER PLANT
SODIUM