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U.S. Department of Energy
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Investigations in gallium removal

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/548601· OSTI ID:548601
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
  2. Amarillo National Resource Center for Plutonium, TX (United States)
Gallium present in weapons plutonium must be removed before it can be used for the production of mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear reactor fuel. The main goal of the preliminary studies conducted at Texas A and M University was to assist in the development of a thermal process to remove gallium from a gallium oxide/plutonium oxide matrix. This effort is being conducted in close consultation with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) personnel involved in the development of this process for the US Department of Energy (DOE). Simple experiments were performed on gallium oxide, and cerium-oxide/gallium-oxide mixtures, heated to temperatures ranging from 700--900 C in a reducing environment, and a method for collecting the gallium vapors under these conditions was demonstrated.
Research Organization:
Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Fissile Materials Disposition, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
FC04-95AL85832
OSTI ID:
548601
Report Number(s):
ANRCP--1997-3; ON: DE97008295
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English