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U.S. Department of Energy
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THE CHEMICAL DETERMINATION OF BORON IN BORON-CARBIDE-ZIRCONIUM

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4078607

A rapid dissolution, chemical method for the determination of boron and boron- carbide- zirconium is described. The sample is dissolved in a mixture of hydrofluoric plus hydrochloric acids contained in a platinum dish that is cooled in a dry-ice bed. Approximately 96 to 99% of the total boron remains undissolved. This is filtered off, asked, and fused with sodium carbenate; the boron is determined with the classical mamiltol titration method. The acidsoluble boron is determined by a modified mannitol titration after separating the zirconium and other interfering cations with barium carbonate. The acid-insoluble and acid- soluble boron are added to give the totul boron in the sample. The accuracy and precision of this analysis were checked on synthetic mixtures of "standard" boron carbide plus zirconium. At the 2% boron carbide (1.59% B) level or higher, the method was accurate to at least 1.15 relative per cent. The precision (95% confidence level) was plus or minus 0.27 and plus or minus 0.95 rslative per cent based on 8 measurements and a single measurement, respectively. "Standandization" of ths beron carbide sample was performed by analyzing for boron, carbon, and impurities. A mass balance of 100.22 approximately 0.69% was obtained. The boron value was considered accurate within the precision of the analytical method. (auth)

Research Organization:
Knolls Atomic Power Lab., Schenectady, N.Y.
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-52
NSA Number:
NSA-15-012846
OSTI ID:
4078607
Report Number(s):
TID-6897
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English