Californium oxide--palladium cermet wire as a $sup 252$Cf neutron source form

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4344783· OSTI ID:4344783

Mosley, W. C.; McBeath, P. E.; Smith, P. K.

An improved /sup 252/Cf neutron source form has been developed to enhance containment of /sup 252/Cf during production of the sources and to lower the sale price of /sup 252/Cf sources by commercial encapsulators. Process steps are described for preparing califomnium oxide-palladium cermet powder by palladium chemical plating, fabrication of cermet pellets by pressing and sintering, fabrication of bare wire by rolling, and adjustment (reduction) of / sup 256/Cf linear concentration by roll cladding. /sup 252/Cf is distributed uniformly in the wires, which can be made in concentrations suitable for a full range of industrial source strengths (from 1 x 10/sup 7/ to 2.6 x 10/sup 10/ n/ sec). These processes were developed in laboratory tests with stead-ins and /sup 252/Cf tracer, and were demonstrated with milligram quantities of /sup 252/Cf in the Target Fabrication Facility (TFF). Improved wire forming techniques are being developed to manufacture clad wire on a larger scale. (auth)

• Research Organization: Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, S.C. (USA). Savannah River Lab.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-29-015806
• OSTI ID: 4344783
• Report Number(s): DP--1320
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*CALIFORNIUM 252-- NEUTRON SOURCES
*NEUTRON SOURCES-- FABRICATION
CALIFORNIUM OXIDES
CERMETS
N47310* --Isotope & Radiation Source Technology--Radiation Sources--Design & Fabrication
PALLADIUM
WIRES