Abstract: Studies were made of the air-borne contamination present during the operation of reducing plutonium tetrafluoride powder to the metal. Equipment design changes were made and operation technique changes were made until the amount of contamination present during operations was well below tolerance levels.

Report discussing laboratory investigations of thorium nitrate purification. Batch equilibrium data, solubility data, viscosity data, density data, and the results seven batch countercurrent extraction tests and two selective stripping tests are included.

From introduction: This report presents the results of the two phases of the work: study of the compatibility of beryllia bodies with a coating material, molybdenum; and studies of beryllia-beryllium body fabrication.

From abstract: "This report describes the construction and operation of a mixer-settler pilot plant for the purification of mantle-grade thorium nitrate. The liquid-liquid extraction process utilized 30% tributyl phosphate - 70% 'Solvesso-100' as the organic solvent and nitric acid as the salting agent. Continuous steady-state operation of the equipment was demonstrated, with very good recovery of thorium."

Report discussing progress from May, 1960 through July, 1960 on a study of radiation synthesis involving halogenated compounds. Experimental procedures and data are included.

This report analyzes a linear, hard-core pinch tube built to examine tubes afflicted by small-scale instabilities evident from many observations.

This report describes a toroidal version of the hard-core pinch and the additional information it can obtain to what the analogous linear pinch can get.

Report discussing experiments investigating the effects of radiation and metal toxicity on the function of the liver, kidneys, adrenals, and bone marrow of experimental animals.

"A series of glass compositions containing uranium oxide was investigated to determine fiberizability and physical properties of resultant fibers. The basic properties to be determined were the maximum U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ content in a fiberizable glass and the maximum service temperature of the fibers. Glasses containing 60 wt% U/sub 3/O/sib 8/ were fiberizable; the fibers had strengths of 100,000 psi at 1600 deg F. Fiber-forming equipment was installed at Moun Laboratory to produce glass fibers containing PuO/sub 2/. Fibers were successfully formed in the first trials. For additional work a series of base glasses were provided affording a wider range of both PuO/sub 2/ solubility and physical properties."

The compatibility of zirconium diboride, boron carbide, and boron nitride with type 304 stainless steel was evaluated as a function of temperature (1000-1200°C), time (1-3 hr). Appropriate loadings of the boron compounds and stainless steel powder were blended and fashioned into a compact powder metallurgically. Each compact was roll clad into a plate and subsequently heat treated at a temperature equal to the initial sintering temperature. Metallographic examination of the fabricated and heat-treated plates demonstrated that none of the systems were metallurgically stable. The instability was generally manifested by the (1) interaction of the discrete boron compounds with the matrix and (2) precipitation of a hypothetically boron-rich phase throughout the stainless steel matrix material.

The following report describe the effect of plasma oscillations using a table-top model and the probable magnitude of the quantities needed to reach complete ionization.

Report discussing a method for uranium spectography. The analytical procedures are described in detail, as well as the restocking and maintenance procedures that are associated with the method.

It is proposed to reduce the initial wall hangup and consequent plasma contamination of a stabilized pinched discharge by reducing the Bz pressure difference across the current sheath to nearly zero at early times. Two methods for accomplishing this are proposed, both involving multistage programming of the Bz system.

A number of questions have arisen in regard to the interpretation of personnel monitoring results reported to users of the Brookhaven neutron monitoring service. The original announcement was rather brief and did not contain most of the technical characteristics upon which an evaluation of results must be based. The following paragraphs have been composed with the hope that they will clarify the meaning of the exposure reports.

The emf of galvanic cells at high temperatures was measured using uranium metal in equilibrium with its chloride as one half of the cell, the other half of the cell being some reference electrode such as silver - silver chloride. Several designs of cells tried are described. A value of 2.83 volts/eq. at 1170[degree]K and also at 990[degree]K is considered as the most probably value for the potential of the uranium halide couple.

Report describing results of experiments that involved injecting radioactive yttrium into animals: "The excretion, retention, and distribution of the yttrium was measured, and its effect on survival and growth was observed. The average total excretion of Y91 to the time of death (from 76 hours to 24 days) was a little less than 30 per cent of the injected dose" (p. 2).

Investigation of whether the multi-thousand psi pressure pulses that occurred in the BORAX-I and SPERT-I destructive power excursion could have been generated by thermal mechanisms in the geometries of unmolten reactor cores. These pressure pulses were "at least as high as 6,000 psi, and probably higher than 10,000 psi " in BORAX I, and "between 3,000 and 4,000 lb/in" in SPERT I. An experimental investigation was undertaken of pressure pulse generation by purely thermal means.

Since the calculation of the PRTR energy distribution was first carried out by J. R. Triplett, the design has become sufficiently fixed to allow a refinement of his values. The present analysis, also, includes a calculation of the fraction of energy which is released in the shroud and process tubers that flows to the primary coolant to the top and bottom shield coolant is taken into consideration. Nuclear data used in the original calculations still appears satisfactory and is, therefore, utilized in the present analysis.

This report describes the results of a study to determine the mechanical properties of joining stainless steel tubes to stainless steel tube sheets and evaluating the joint types made by various combinations of rolling and welding.