A collection of technical papers of the tenth metallographic group meeting held at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory.

Abstract: During the summer of 1955, two test holes were drilled into the Triassic Chinle Formation in the Lukachukai Mountains near Cove, Arizona, to obtain geologic information. Brief airborne and ground reconnaissance was made of Triassic outcrops near Cove. No anomalous radioactivity was found in the test holes, but chemical tests showed concentrations of heavy metals in conglomerate lenses in the Chinle Formation. Channel sandstones in the middle part of the Petrified Forest Member appear to be the most favorable for mineralization. The Shinarump Member, here underlain by a permeable unit, and occurring at depths greater than 500 feet, appears less promising for uranium exploration.

The following report describes the usage of a semi-continuous ion exchange contactor--named the Higgins contactor--fit to operate the Purex process, a process that recovers plutonium and uranium from irradiated natural uranium fuel elements. It is intended to use the contactor in the final purification and concentration stage of the process plutonium streams.

A report about a study of the effect of irradiation on the thermal conductivity of uranium.

A monthly report summarizing work perform by Babcock & Wilcox personnel for the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. Preliminary design studies for nuclear reactor development and its components were reported.

From summary: "The concentration of plutonium by cation exchange was significantly improved by using a solution of ammonium lactate and sulfamate as the elutriant instead of nitric and sulfamic acids. The new elutriant permitted essentially complete elution of the plutonium and also avoided formation of gases in the resin bed during elution. At 45ºC, 2.8M ammonium lactate plus 0.15M ammonium sulfamate eluted 99.3 per cent of the total plutonium at an average concentration of 43.8 grams per liter. It was found necessary to elute hydrogen and hydroxylammonium ions from the resin beds before elution of plutonium. The hydroxylammonium ions decompose to form gases in the resin bed at the desired temperature for plutonium elution. The hydrogen ions exchange with ammonium ions of the elutriant and decrease the concentration of plutonium in the eluate."

Technical report abstract: Sodium hydride and triethylborane react to form sodium triethylhydroborate, NaBH(C2H5)3. This compound, a liquid at rooom temperature, was found to be soluble in hexane and mineral oil. A study was made of the thermal decomposition of sodium triethylhydroborate and its behavior toward boron trifluoride, boron trichloride, methyl borate, carbon dioxide, silane, and ethylene. Sodium triisopropoxyhydroborate, NaBH(OC3H7)3, was prepared and also found to be soluble in hexane and mineral oil. The reactions of this compound with methyl borate, triethylborane, silicon tetrachloride, and boron trichloride were investigated.