This is a summarizing and reviewing report in which almost all the experimental data representing Project work done prior to 1949 on the corrosion of pure uranium are brought together and analyzed. New data obtained in this laboratory on corrosion rates in laboratory atmosphere and on the identification of corrosion products by electron diffraction are included. The data for corrosion in each of several different media have been plotted according to logarithm-of-the-rate versus reciprocal-temperature coordinates; and from these plots values for the energies and entropies of activation of the corrosion reactions have been obtained. By theoretical treatment of the role of oxygen as a negative catalyst, it is shown that this element may be expected to "poison" the corrosion rection and then act as a corrosion inhibitor. A practical significance of these data analyses is that they explain why machined uranium parts stored in inert atmospheres (helium or argon) containing only very small amounts of water vapor will corrode relatively rapidly with the formation of loose powdery oxide, whereas similar parts may be kept in dry air almost indefinitely with formation on their surface of only a discoloring, but adhered, oxide coating.

The following memorandum outlines the procedures used on the neutralization of HNO3 in redox ICU and IAW streams, and the factors influencing their choice. The procedures involve a) hexone removal by evaporation in the presence of a retardant, b) destruction of the retardant, c) nitric acid elimination by boiling with aluminum and d) concentration of the remaining solution by evaporation.

This report follows and experiment that was performed to determine the visual efficiency of a phosphor when bombarded by alpha particles.

The following report provides data collected during an investigation in the Columbia River. The purpose of this investigation was to research the radioactivity present in the bottom-living organisms of the river.

Abstract: Magnetic susceptibilities per gram atomic weight of elements 92 to 95 in most of their oxidation states were measured at 20°C on 0.1 ml of solution which was 0.005 to 0.09M in heavy element. The values obtained (all paramagnetic) in units × 106 were: U(IV), 3690; Np(VI), 2060; Np(V), 4120; Np(IV), 4000; Pu(IV), 1610; Pu(III), 370; Am(III), 720. The results could be interpreted only on the basis of electronic configurations 5fn, even though susceptibilities were generally lower than the theoretical values and lower than experimental values for corresponding lanthanide 4fn cations. The lower values should be expected as a result of the Stark effect produced by electric fields of anions and of water dipoles. Failure of the Russell‐Saunders approximation to the coupling between electrons may account for some of the error in the theoretical calculations. That the susceptibilities of Pu(III) and Am(III) are manyfold lower than those of Sm(III) and Eu(III), respectively, is attributed to wider multiplet splitting in the actinide atoms.

Summary: The activity coefficient of Pu(Cl04)4 was measured in perchloric acid solutions. The procedure used was to measure the extraction of the neutral plutonium(IV)-TTA chelate into benzene-TTA solutions at different perchloric acid concentrations. Equations are presented which show the relation of the extraction coefficients, obtained in the above manner, to the activity coefficient of plutonium(IV) per-chlorate. The activity coefficient of Pu(Cl0~)4 is similar to that of a strong acid, e.g., perchloric acid, in that its value increases rapidly when the perchloric acid concentration becomes greater than 2M. The distribution coefficient of TTA between benzene and aqueous perchloric acid solutions was found first to decrease slightly and then to increase two fold as the perchloric acid was varied from 0.01 to 6M. The activity coefficient of the uranous-TTA chelate in benzene was calculated from the results of solubility measurements. The values of the activity coefficient of UK4 are,within experimental error, identical with the values of the activity coefficient of TTA itself.

From introduction: "Since plutonium is manufactured at the Hanford Works, a study of its effect on biological materials is important. To determine the amount of plutonium deposited in a biological sample, it is necessary to have an accurate method for extracting plutonium from these samples. Some of the different methods for plutonium assay are reviewed and given in this paper."

The following report describes how to obtain traces of cadmium using dithizone as a reagent.

This report follows studies of the accumulation of beta omitting radioactive elements in Columbia River fish.

The following report was made to determine the effective clarity improvement, flow rate characteristics, and operational problems encountered on passing Redox uranium feed solution through sintered, modified Type 304 stainless steel filter elements.

From abstract: "This report contains a summary of biological information on distribution, excretion, and toxicity of polonium; a comparison of results obtained when maximum permissible exposure rates for man are calculated from available data by different methods; and a critical evaluation of the present status of Po tolerance estimates."

From abstract: "Critical assembly tests have been made on the Pajarito Universal Machine to determine the safety limits of handstacking cubes of 95% U-235 in spherical geometries preparatory to making critical assemblies of U-235 in an "infinite" tuballoy tamper. The U-235 cubes were stacked as pseudospheres in a cavity at the top of a tuballoy block 12" high and 8" on a side, and the assembly tamped by locating it inside a doughnut shaped water tank whose tamping effect is equivalent to the tamping caused by personnel necessary for hand stacking."

From introduction: "Two fluorimeters have been constructed for the determination of small amounts of uranium. There fluorimeters have been constructed after the basic plans for the Model V fluorimeter developed at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and described in the Journal of Biological Chemistry for March 1948.

Technical report describing the building of safety devices and features for the Oak Ridge reactor by the Reactor Safeguard Committee of the Atomic Energy Commission. Outlines the difficulties encountered in detailed design and construction operations for the facility.

"Uranium foil 0.001 inch thick was made by rolling cast specimens at 600°C in a steel jacket and cold rolling the resulting 0.012-inch-thick strip to the desired thickness. The foil was of excellent quality, having no pin holes and only very slight cracking."

Report describing the results of corrosion tests on 68 types of materials. Generally, most materials were tested with an agitator and vapor and some were tested a 3rd way with alternate immersion.

Report explaining some different categories of special refractory materials. These categories of materials and their properties are discussed as well as the specific materials that fall into these categories.

"The experience at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in decontamination equipment and working areas from radioactivity has been summarized." The methods and reagents that were used for decontamination are discussed.

From introduction: "The present investigation of the properties of boron stainless steel is an outgrowth of a project started in 1947. The problem is to replace the present steel used for drop rods in the Hanford piles with a material much less subject to corrosive attack from the humid atmosphere existing at the location of the rods."

A quarterly report consisting of reports published on Transuranic Elements from the University of California Radiation Laboratory. Each report is a brief one to two page summaries of the article submitted for publication during the months of September-November, 1948.

Abstract: Part I: A series of extraction experiments has been performed to determine the distribution coefficient of uranium(VI) between dilute perchloric acid and benzene solutions of TTA. The data are interpreted to show that the principal species in the acid phase is a doubly charged ion, UO2++. The discrepancies revealed in previous work(1) were not found. Part II: The spectrophotometric method of analysis developed for use in Part I has shown the existence of previously unreported species of uranium(VI) in the presence of TTA: UO2K2-HK in benzene, and UO2K+ in dilute acid. The absorption spectra of all the principal species are reported.

This technical report provides supplementary information on the Brookhaven nuclear reactor. It details added safety systems, tests, expounds on information included in the original report, describes liquid wastes system, and describes different procedures for operating the nuclear reactor.

This report discusses an analysis on the exchange reaction between iodine and unipositive iodine with pyridine.

Abstract: The purpose of this report is to outline the work done at the Radiation Laboratory toward the development of a magnetic field measuring device using the phenomenon of nuclear resonance. While the work described here is far from complete, it has served to indicate the limitations of the method as well as some of its possibilities. For reasons which will become apparent, the project is being discontinued. It is hoped that this report will serve as a starting point should the work be continued at some later time and that some of the mistakes already made need not be repeated.