This report analyzes a procedure based on the production of acetylene from the active water, with subsequent measurement of the ionization caused by the tritium beta particle. This eliminates the troublesome absorption on the chamber walls when hydrogen is used, and provides a rapid method for the preparation of the urine samples.

This report is a manual describing the methods developed by Stokes (1) and Warren and Averbach (2) (3) for the determination of the effects of cold work by x-ray diffraction methods. Only the method of mathematical analysis is presented while the method of obtaining the necessary x-ray diffraction patterns is not mentioned. This manual will be used for an experimental study of irradiation damage to uranium.

Description of Invention: Chloride-induced corrosion is a serious problem in the Purex acid recovery operation and in the evaporative concentration of process streams and waste solutions. In the case of Purex acid recovery, it has been shown that trace chloride will volatilize with the nitric acid and reflux in the acid fractionator, thus causing especially severe corrosion at that point. These traces of chloride may enter the process form several sources, i.e., as an impurity in the technical grade chemicals used in making up the various aqueous process streams, by hydrolysis or radiation decomposition of carbon tetrachloride (a promising diluent for tributyl phosphate), or by incomplete removal of the hydrochloric acid employed in some flowsheets for effecting the dissolution of certain difficulty soluble nuclear reactor fuel elements.

In connection with studies of the chemical reactivity of PuO_2 to hydrofluorination, samples were examined by X-ray diffraction for crystallite size and perfection. The PuO_2 was formed by thermal decomposition of the oralate. The reactivity of this oxide, as well as that of other solid oxides is affected by the conditions of preparation. Besides the obvious influence of surface, including lattice strain and other structural irregularities in the particles. Each particle is composed of a number of crystallites. The extent of crystallites size and perfection will be indicated by the width of a diffracted X-ray beam. Since separation of these two caus4es would require a detailed analysis, the observed broadening was interpreted on the assumption of crystallite size effects alone. However, the variable factor in preparation method was temperature, and it is to be expected that crystallite growth with annealing will occur in part at the expense of energy stored in nonequilibrium states of the crystal, i.e., imperfections. The objectives of this study were to establish a convenient method for determination of PuO_2 crystallite size and to obtain estimates of the crystallite sizes of seven given samples.