ANALYSIS FOR PLUTONIUM BY CONTROLLED POTENTIAL COULOMETRY

Technical Report · Thu Oct 30 23:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4308208

Scott, F A; Peekema, R M

A method for the determination of the plutonium content of reactor fuels has been developed using controlled potential coulometry. This method is superior to conventionnl procedures because it is independent of the plutonium isotopic content, has greater precision and sensitivity, and can be used for plant feeds and inprocess solutions as well as the plutonium product. The plutonium content of solutions has been determined over a wide concentration range with a precision of from plus or minus 0.1% to plus or minus one %g on samples containing from two to 0.05 mg, respectively. Either mercury or platinum electrodes are used, and the method is simple with a . minimum of sample pretreatment and no chemnical adjustment of valence state necessary. In the course of the work, the polarographic behavior of Pu(IV) was studied in detail in many media. Interferences have been studied, particularly of reactor fuel alloying elements and fission products, and tolerable levels of common interfering ions defined. The method has been applied to the determinatinn of the plutonium content of metal pieces with a precision of plus or minus 0.1% at the 95% confidence level, and also to the direct estimation of the plutonium content of reactor fuel processing solutions. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Hanford Atomic Products Operation, Richland, Wash.
• NSA Number: NSA-12-014620
• OSTI ID: 4308208
• Report Number(s): A/CONF.15/P/914
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CHEMISTRY
CONCENTRATION
CONTROL
CURRENTS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
ELECTROLYTIC CELLS
ERRORS
FISSION PRODUCTS
FUELS
INTERFERING ELEMENTS
MERCURY
PLATINUM
PLUTONIUM
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM ISOTOPES
POLAROGRAPHY
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
REPROCESSING
SENSITIVITY
SOLUTIONS
VOLTAMETRY