TECHNIQUES FOR THE METALLOGRAPHY OF PLUTONIUM

Technical Report · Fri Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1958

OSTI ID:4308412

Cramer, E M; Schonfeld, F W

The equipment and procedures used for the preparation of plutonium- bearing metallagraphic specimens at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory are described and the adaptations of metallographic apparatus for polishing, etching, micrography, hardness testing, and heat treating to meet the peculiar needs of a plutonium laboratory are discussed. The use of gloveboxes is restricted to those operations in which discrete particles of metal or oxide are produced, such as cutting, grindiag, and mechanical polishing. The boxes are arranged in trains, with each train having a hood at one end through which specimens enter and leave the system. The average metallic sample contains only a few grams of plutonium, and specimens are usually mounted by potting with a liquid resin, although bakelite or other mounting material may be used ocassionally. The mounted sample is mechanically polished, in a glovebox train, and electropolishing and electroetching have been used extensively, especially for pure plutonium and plutonium-rich alloys. Handling is done with forceps, and specimen surfaces remain completely bare during microscopy and hardness testing. Contamination of equipment is avoided by using disposable plyastic stages on microscopes and other apparatus, and by such techniques as enclosing specimens in rubber hydrochloride films for x-ray diffractometry. Samples requiring heat treatment are sealed in evacuated glass or silica capsules and are loaded into hooded furnaces. The air sampling and general contamination control programs are discussed. (auth)

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., N. Mex.
• NSA Number: NSA-12-014810
• OSTI ID: 4308412
• Report Number(s): A/CONF.15/P/528
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BAKELITE-- CLEANING-- ETCHING-- FILMS-- GLOVEBOXES-- HARDNESS-- HEAT TREATMENTS-- LABORATORY EQUIPMENT-- MACHINING-- METALLOGRAPHY-- MICROSCOPY-- OXIDES-- PARTICLES-- PLUTONIUM-- PLUTONIUM ALLOYS-- POLYMERS-- RADIATION PROTECTION-- REMOTE HANDLING-- RESINS-- RUBBER-- SAMPLING-- SURFACES-- TESTING
CHLORIDES-- CONTAMINATION-- CONTROL-- DIFFRACTION-- FURNACES-- GLASS-- SEALS-- SILICON OXIDES-- VACUUM-- X RADIATION
MINERALOGY, METALLURGY, AND CERAMICS