235U–231Pa age dating of uranium materials for nuclear forensic investigations

Eppich, Gary R.; Williams, Ross W.; Gaffney, Amy M.; Schorzman, Kerri C.

doi:10.1039/C3JA50041A

²³⁵U–²³¹Pa age dating of uranium materials for nuclear forensic investigations

Journal Article · Wed Apr 03 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1039/C3JA50041A· OSTI ID:1224943

Eppich, Gary R. ^[1]; Williams, Ross W. ^[1]; Gaffney, Amy M. ^[1]; Schorzman, Kerri C. ^[1]

Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Here, age dating of nuclear material can provide insight into source and suspected use in nuclear forensic investigations. We report here a method for the determination of the date of most recent chemical purification for uranium materials using the ²³⁵U-²³¹Pa chronometer. Protactinium is separated from uranium and neptunium matrices using anion exchange resin, followed by sorption of Pa to an SiO₂ medium. The concentration of ²³¹Pa is measured by isotope dilution mass spectrometry using ²³³Pa spikes prepared from an aliquot of ²³⁷Np and calibrated in-house using the rock standard Table Mountain Latite and the uranium isotopic standard U100. Combined uncertainties of age dates using this method are 1.5 to 3.5 %, an improvement over alpha spectrometry measurement methods. Model ages of five uranium standard reference materials are presented; all standards have concordant ²³⁵U-²³¹Pa and ²³⁴U-²³⁰Th model ages.

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

DOE Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1224943

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL--615952

Journal Information:: Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, Journal Name: Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 28; ISSN JASPE2; ISSN 0267-9477

Publisher:: Royal Society of Chemistry

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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235U–231Pa age dating of uranium materials for nuclear forensic investigations

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References (11)

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²³⁵U–²³¹Pa age dating of uranium materials for nuclear forensic investigations