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Evaluation of an interlaboratory comparison involving pyrocarbon and silicon carbide-coated uranium--thorium carbide beads

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4393452

An interlaboratory comparison program was conducted between six chemistry laboratories and three nondestructive assay laboratories. The material of interest was pyrocarbon- and silicon carbide - coated uranium-- thorium carbide beads. Accuracy of uranium and thorium measurements was ascertained by supplying to the laboratories uranium oxide and thorium oxide samples containing known quantities. With one exception. the accuracy of the chemical analysis of uranium was within a range of 0.5% relative to the prepared value. Within- laboratory precisions ranged from 0.013 to 0.39% RSD for the mixed oxide samples. Chemical assay of the beads exhibited a range of nearly plus or minus 1% (relative) about the interlaboratory chemical average for uranium content. Withinlaboratory precisions ranged from 0.03 to 0.38% RSD. Some dependence on sample preparation was evidenced. NDA measurements on mixed oxides showed biases as high as 3% from the prepared values. Measurements on coated beads were nearly comparable with chemical measurements in accuracy. (auth)

Research Organization:
USAEC New Brunswick Lab., N.J.
NSA Number:
NSA-29-004819
OSTI ID:
4393452
Report Number(s):
NBL--269
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English