Oxygen potential of uranium--plutonium oxide as determined by controlled- atmosphere thermogravimetry
- Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)
The oxygen-to-metal atom ratio, or O/M, of solid solution uranium- plutonium oxide reactor fuel is a measure of the concentration of crystal defects in the oxide which affect many fuel properties, particularly, fuel oxygen potential. Fabrication of a high-temperature oxygen electrode, employing an electro-active tip of oxygen-deficient solid-state electrolyte, intended to confirm gaseous oxygen potentials is described. Uranium oxide and plutonium oxide O/M reference materials were prepared by in situ oxidation of high purity metals in the thermobalance. A solid solution uranium-plutonium oxide O/M reference material was prepared by alloying the uranium and plutonium metals in a yttrium oxide crucible at 1200°C and oxidizing with moist He at 250°C. The individual and solid solution oxides were isothermally equilibrated with controlled oxygen potentials between 800 and 1300°C and the equilibrated O/ M ratios calculated with corrections for impurities and buoyancy effects. Use of a reference oxygen potential of -100 kcal/mol to produce an O/M of 2.000 is confirmed by these results. However, because of the lengthy equilibration times required for all oxides, use of the O/M reference materials rather than a reference oxygen potential is recommended for O/M analysis methods calibrations.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- NSA Number:
- NSA-33-003410
- OSTI ID:
- 4152409
- Report Number(s):
- LA-6083-T
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis. Orig. Receipt Date: 30-JUN-76
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
NUCLEAR ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT PROGRESS REPORT FOR SEPTEMBER 1-DECEMBER 31, 1959
Semiannual Progress Report for the Period July 1960 through December 1960