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Title: Improved precision and accuracy in quantifying plutonium isotope ratios by RIMS

Journal Article · · Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

Resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) holds the promise of rapid, isobar-free quantification of actinide isotope ratios in as-received materials (i.e. not chemically purified). Recent progress in achieving this potential using two Pu test materials is presented. RIMS measurements were conducted multiple times over a period of two months on two different Pu solutions deposited on metal surfaces. Measurements were bracketed with a Pu isotopic standard, and yielded absolute accuracies of the measured Pu-240/Pu-239 ratios of 0.7 and 0.58 %, with precisions (95 % confidence intervals) of 1.49 and 0.91 %. The minor isotope Pu-238 was also quantified despite the presence of a significant quantity of U-238 in the samples.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1357770
Journal Information:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Vol. 307, Issue 3; ISSN 0236-5731
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (5)

Analysis of sub-picogram quantities of 238Pu by thermal ionization mass spectrometry journal July 2019
Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials journal January 2017
Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials journal January 2018
Atomic spectrometry update: review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials journal January 2020
Atomic spectrometry update. Review of advances in the analysis of metals, chemicals and materials journal January 2013

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