New reference materials for trace-levels of actinide elements in plutonium

Richard M. Essex; Lav Tandon; Amy Gaffney; Cole R. Hexel; Debbie A. Bostick; Lisa M. Colletti; Diana L. Decker; Casey C. Finstad; Joe M. Giaquinto; Elmer Lujan; John D. Partridge; Benjamin D. Roach; John Rolinson; Kyle Samperton; Alice K. Slemmons; Khalil J. Spencer; Floyd E. Stanley; Lisa E. Townsend; Kerri C. Treinen; Ross W. Williams; Christopher G. Worley; Ning Xu

doi:10.1515/ract-2021-1095

New reference materials for trace-levels of actinide elements in plutonium

Richard M. Essex, Lav Tandon, Amy Gaffney, Cole R. Hexel, Debbie A. Bostick, Lisa M. Colletti, Diana L. Decker, Casey C. Finstad, Joe M. Giaquinto, Elmer Lujan, John D. Partridge, Benjamin D. Roach, John Rolinson, Kyle Samperton, Alice K. Slemmons, Khalil J. Spencer, Floyd E. Stanley, Lisa E. Townsend, Kerri C. Treinen, Ross W. WilliamsChristopher G. Worley, Ning Xu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Two plutonium oxides were prepared as unique reference materials for measurement of actinide elements present as trace constituents. Each reference material unit is approximately 200 mg of PuO2 powder in a quartz glass bottle. Characterized attributes of the oxides included mass fractions of plutonium, americium, neptunium, and uranium. Isotope-amount ratios were also determined for plutonium and uranium, but neptunium and americium were observed to be monoisotopic 237Np and 241Am. Measurements for characterization and verification of the attributes show that plutonium and trace actinides are homogeneous with the exception of limited heterogeneity for uranium, primarily observed for the 238U isotope. Model purification ages calculated from measured americium and uranium attribute values are consistent with material histories and indicate that these impurities are predominantly due to the decay of plutonium isotopes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	9-22
Number of pages	14
Journal	Radiochimica Acta
Volume	110
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2021-1095
State	Published - Jan 1 2022

Funding

Funding for the production, characterization, and verification work at LANL, LLNL and ORNL and project coordination activities at NIST was provided by the United States Department of Homeland Security.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Keywords

americium
neptunium
nuclear forensics
plutonium
reference material
uranium

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10.1515/ract-2021-1095

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Essex, R. M., Tandon, L., Gaffney, A., Hexel, C. R., Bostick, D. A., Colletti, L. M., Decker, D. L., Finstad, C. C., Giaquinto, J. M., Lujan, E., Partridge, J. D., Roach, B. D., Rolinson, J., Samperton, K., Slemmons, A. K., Spencer, K. J., Stanley, F. E., Townsend, L. E., Treinen, K. C., ... Xu, N. (2022). New reference materials for trace-levels of actinide elements in plutonium. Radiochimica Acta, 110(1), 9-22. https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2021-1095

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abstract = "Two plutonium oxides were prepared as unique reference materials for measurement of actinide elements present as trace constituents. Each reference material unit is approximately 200 mg of PuO2 powder in a quartz glass bottle. Characterized attributes of the oxides included mass fractions of plutonium, americium, neptunium, and uranium. Isotope-amount ratios were also determined for plutonium and uranium, but neptunium and americium were observed to be monoisotopic 237Np and 241Am. Measurements for characterization and verification of the attributes show that plutonium and trace actinides are homogeneous with the exception of limited heterogeneity for uranium, primarily observed for the 238U isotope. Model purification ages calculated from measured americium and uranium attribute values are consistent with material histories and indicate that these impurities are predominantly due to the decay of plutonium isotopes.",

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author = "Essex, {Richard M.} and Lav Tandon and Amy Gaffney and Hexel, {Cole R.} and Bostick, {Debbie A.} and Colletti, {Lisa M.} and Decker, {Diana L.} and Finstad, {Casey C.} and Giaquinto, {Joe M.} and Elmer Lujan and Partridge, {John D.} and Roach, {Benjamin D.} and John Rolinson and Kyle Samperton and Slemmons, {Alice K.} and Spencer, {Khalil J.} and Stanley, {Floyd E.} and Townsend, {Lisa E.} and Treinen, {Kerri C.} and Williams, {Ross W.} and Worley, {Christopher G.} and Ning Xu",

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Essex, RM, Tandon, L, Gaffney, A, Hexel, CR, Bostick, DA, Colletti, LM, Decker, DL, Finstad, CC, Giaquinto, JM, Lujan, E, Partridge, JD, Roach, BD, Rolinson, J, Samperton, K, Slemmons, AK, Spencer, KJ, Stanley, FE, Townsend, LE, Treinen, KC, Williams, RW, Worley, CG & Xu, N 2022, 'New reference materials for trace-levels of actinide elements in plutonium', Radiochimica Acta, vol. 110, no. 1, pp. 9-22. https://doi.org/10.1515/ract-2021-1095

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AU - Essex, Richard M.

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AU - Bostick, Debbie A.

AU - Colletti, Lisa M.

AU - Decker, Diana L.

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AU - Giaquinto, Joe M.

AU - Lujan, Elmer

AU - Partridge, John D.

AU - Roach, Benjamin D.

AU - Rolinson, John

AU - Samperton, Kyle

AU - Slemmons, Alice K.

AU - Spencer, Khalil J.

AU - Stanley, Floyd E.

AU - Townsend, Lisa E.

AU - Treinen, Kerri C.

AU - Williams, Ross W.

AU - Worley, Christopher G.

AU - Xu, Ning

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N2 - Two plutonium oxides were prepared as unique reference materials for measurement of actinide elements present as trace constituents. Each reference material unit is approximately 200 mg of PuO2 powder in a quartz glass bottle. Characterized attributes of the oxides included mass fractions of plutonium, americium, neptunium, and uranium. Isotope-amount ratios were also determined for plutonium and uranium, but neptunium and americium were observed to be monoisotopic 237Np and 241Am. Measurements for characterization and verification of the attributes show that plutonium and trace actinides are homogeneous with the exception of limited heterogeneity for uranium, primarily observed for the 238U isotope. Model purification ages calculated from measured americium and uranium attribute values are consistent with material histories and indicate that these impurities are predominantly due to the decay of plutonium isotopes.

AB - Two plutonium oxides were prepared as unique reference materials for measurement of actinide elements present as trace constituents. Each reference material unit is approximately 200 mg of PuO2 powder in a quartz glass bottle. Characterized attributes of the oxides included mass fractions of plutonium, americium, neptunium, and uranium. Isotope-amount ratios were also determined for plutonium and uranium, but neptunium and americium were observed to be monoisotopic 237Np and 241Am. Measurements for characterization and verification of the attributes show that plutonium and trace actinides are homogeneous with the exception of limited heterogeneity for uranium, primarily observed for the 238U isotope. Model purification ages calculated from measured americium and uranium attribute values are consistent with material histories and indicate that these impurities are predominantly due to the decay of plutonium isotopes.

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EP - 22

JO - Radiochimica Acta

JF - Radiochimica Acta

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New reference materials for trace-levels of actinide elements in plutonium

Abstract

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Keywords

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