Separation processes for production of pure rare earth oxides in useful quantities are discussed. A review of applications of these oxides in the ceramic industry in production of glasses, glazes, porcelain enamels, refractories, abrasives, electronic ceramics, and nuclear ceramics is also presented. 46 references.

Abstract. The preparation and properties of a new explosive, liquid over the range -65 degrees F to +165 degrees F, are presented. This explosive, called NTN, is a 5/1/1 mole ration of nitromethane, tetranitromethane, 1 -nitropropane. The sensitivity and stability of NTN meet military requirements.

This report details the proposed E-N, tritium-plutonium producing reactor loading is made up of striped columns of lithium-aluminum (mint) target slugs and enriched uranium (.947 w/o U{sup 235}) slugs. Both target and uranium slugs are of the I & E geometry. The ratio of mint (N) to uranium (E) is determined by the requirement of sufficient k-excess to sustain an operable reactor. The designer of the lattice loading has a choice between natural lithium (7-5 w/o Li{sup 6}) or lithium enriched to {approximately} 38.5 w/o Li{sup 6} for the mint slugs, assuming enriched or ``black`` mint is available. It is possible to show at least 0.8% increase in total conversion ratio for an E-N load for enriched mint (38.5 w/o Li{sup 6}) over natural mint. The basis of the calculations rests on measured E-N length ratios for equivalent neutron multiplicative properties for both types of mint (in a dry pile) plus analytical calculations. It is shown that both increased Pu and H{sup 3} production are obtained by using blacker mint. The basic phenomena are (1) increased resonance capture in U{sup 238} due to more uranium volume in the black mint E-N lattice and (2) more efficient utilization of neutrons in …

Boron-impregnated polyethylene tape was irradiated in the Engineering Test Reactor Critical Facility to study the effect of boron as a burnable poison in reactor fuel. Isotopic analysis of the boron was performed with a conventional CEC Model 21-103 mass spectrometer. The tape was distilled off and the residual boron was converted to trimethyl borate. The reaction mixture was analyzed without separation. Good precision was obtained with samples containing less than 0.5 mg. boron. Features of the mass spectrum of trimethyl borate are discussed. Other applications of the method are suggested. (auth)

From Tamalpais debris crushed to <53 mu , 5.5, 19.6, and 12.5 f the alpha, beta, and gamma activities, respectively, were leached in 72 hr at room temperature by a 100 to 1 weight excess of ground water from the Nevada test site. The extracted alpha-activity material was> 97% Pu/sup 239/ and < 3% Am/sup 241/, and the gamma was 92% Ru/sup106/, 4.7% ZrNb/sup 95/, and 3.1% Cs/137/. The beta activities could not be identified. The ground water leached 10 to 20 times as high a percentage of activity from Tamalpais debris as from Rainier debris in a previous study, but on a count rate basis the total activity released to the ground water was a factor of 2 greater for Rainier than for Tamalpais. Increasing the leaching temperature from room temperature to boiling doubled the amount of active material extracted. increasing the particle size clsssification from <53 to 5901190 mu decreased the extraction efficiently approximately 3- fold. (auth)

Abstract: The measurement and calculation of the reactivity absorbed by Xe135 as functions of time after shutdown for the SRE are described.