Recently, there has been some evidence to point to possible ordering in the α-brasses. Masumoto et al. have concluded from their specific heat measurements that there is a possibility of ordering in the α-brasses. In particular they observed an anomaly in the specific heat curves for the α-brasses for the temperature range from 200 to 260°C and explained these results upon the basis of a change in local or short range order in α-brasses at these temperatures. In connection with the study of radiation damage effects in α-brass ordering has been suspected. Rosenblatt has annealed 70-30 α-brass previously annealed at 350°C and cooled to room temperature at 190°C for six weeks. He observed a decrease of .90 ± .03% in the electrical resistivity of α-brass measured at -196°C after the anneal at 190°C.

In a third run with the fluorine torch, the settling chamber wells were kept hotter than before (≥ 625°C); the flame was cooled by diluting the fluorine with helium. In the analysis of the products, 99% of the thorium fluoride fed in was accounted for, but only 64% of the protactinium activity. Part of this was carried in the exhaust gases past the cold trap and into the soda line disposal column, where it was detected by survey meters. The stripping of protactinium from the solid was somewhat more efficient than before; 77% of the feed which was recovered from the settling chamber had lost 72% of its original specific activity. About 15% of the input activity was trapped on the cold fingers with very little thorium fluoride.