QUARTERLY STATUS REPORT ON SOLID PLUTONIUM FUELS PROGRAM FOR PERIOD OCTOBER 1 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 1963

Technical Report · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1964

OSTI ID:4034204

Leary, J A; Maraman, W J; Miner, W N; Schonfeld, F W

S>A pellet of PuO/sub 2/ was held for 3 hr at 1650 deg C in a vacuum of 10/sup -5/ torr and then quenched as rapidly as possible by contacting with a chilled copper block. The microstructure of the polished pellet showed only the alpha -- Pu/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and PuO/sub 2/ network structure, with no PuO/sub 2/ matrix. Nitride is being prepared by reaction of Pu metal and N/sub 2/, with and without the use of H/sub 2/. Thermal conductivities of UC, PuC/sub 0.87/, (U/sub 0.9/Pu/sub 0.1/)C, (U/sub 0.8/Pu/sub 0.2/)C, and (U/sub 0. 7/Pu/sub 0.3/)C and electric resistivities of (U/sub 0.8/Pu/sub 0.2/)C, PuC/sub 0.87/, and PuC/sub 1 were determined and plotted. The thermodynamic properties of Pu-- Fe alloys and PuFe/sub 2/ are being determined by emf measurements. Studies are being made of the Pu-C--O system in order to determine the phase diagram. (M.C.G.)

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N.Mex.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• NSA Number: NSA-18-018290
• OSTI ID: 4034204
• Report Number(s): LAMS-3054
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

FUELS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
IRON ALLOYS
LATTICES
MEASURED VALUES
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PELLETS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM CARBIDES
PLUTONIUM NITRIDES
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
PREPARATION
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUENCHING
THERMODYNAMICS
URANIUM CARBIDES
VACUUM