Abstract: "The method of non-destructive assay for uranium is being developed for application to CPP solutions. The equipment has been calibrated for product strength solutions and used for assaying some "unknowns". Additional work has also been done on solutions diluted to 1/10 of product strength. Experimental data on calibration, assaying, and reproducibility tests are given. It appears feasible to obtain data with 1 per cent standard deviation on product solutions with the present facility. Investigations are continuing on solutions down to 0.1 gram/liter."

Report describing the evaluation of dihydrocodeinone and the formation of a bisulfite addition. This research was of importance because the observation suggests a potentially valuable and easy method for separating ketonic from non-ketonic material in the morphine series.

From abstract: "The feasibility of casting a bare, radiator-type fuel element of the uranium-chromium eutectic alloy (5 w/o chromium) was investigated."

Progress is reported on (1) experimental breeder reactor program, (2) solvent extraction, (3) fluoride volatilization separation process, (4) elevated temperature separations, (5) denitration of uranyl nitrate in a fluidized bed, (6) development of analytical techniques, (7) processing and utilization of radioactive wastes.

Abstract: "Equation of State data for duralumin in the pressure range from 0.1 to 0.3 megabar have been determined dynamically by measuring shock and free surface velocity electrically in a place of 24 ST duralumin which has been stressed by a high explosive donation. The theory is presented which allows comparison with data obtained by other experimenters, requiring the relationship between pressure and compression either at constant entropy or constant temperature. The empirical form chosen for the equation of state p = αμ + βμ-2 expresses the pressure as a quadratic function of the compression. Experimental techniques are described in detail. Five points are given for equation of state of duralumin in the pressure range from approximately 0.15 megabar to 0.33 megabars. Some data are also presented for cadmium and steel."

The results of equation of state measurements made behind strong shock waves in nitrogen are consistent only with the higher of the two spectroscopically acceptable values of the dissociation energy of nitrogen, 9.764 ev.

Abstract: "X-ray powder patterns of two curium compounds, the trifluoride and the oxide, have been obtained, using sub-microgram specimens. The fluoride prepared by precipitation from aqueous solution with HF is isomorphous with NdF3. Treatment of CmF3 with F2 (g, 1 atm.) did not convert it to CnF4 or higher fluoride. Air ignition of curium oxalate gave a compound having a cubic lattice with a constant expected for Cm2O3 rather than for Cmo2. Due to the extremely high level of gamma and x-radiation accompanying Ca-242 alpha emission (162 days half-life)-(2,3), it has heretofore been impossible to obtain x-ray powder patterns of any curium compounds. Another difficulty has been the danger of contamination, as the specific activity of curium is 7 x 10-9 d/m/[mu]g. We have found that patterns, even though of poor quality, sufficient to identify the structure can be obtained by using very small samples in thin, tapered capillaries with short exposure times."

Experimental data pertinent to the evaluation of hazards involved in the exposure of personnel to tritium and tritium oxide are reviewed. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made with regard to the control of these hazards.

Calorimetric combustions of calcium metal were conducted at an initial temperate of 25 degree under an oxygen pressure of 50 atm. The energy of combustion under these conditions was to be 15,649 joules/g. The corresponding standard heat of formation of the oxide from the elements is calculated to be -628.63 +- 0.99 kjourles/mole. this value if 1.1% more positive than the previous accepted value.

"The purpose of this report is to present a method for obtaining an experimental Hugoniot curve of a gas in the strong shock region, that is, the region available with present high explosives."

Abstract: "The following results were derived from experiments in which iodine was quickly separated from irradiated uranium metal at a known time after irradiation. The fractional chain yields are based on the cumulative chain yields at iodine."

Analytical, x-ray, thermal, and metallographic data have been obtained in the study of the magnesium-uranium system, and a proposed phase diagram has been constructed.

Extensive numerical evaluation was performed on a Fourier series derived for the potential distribution in an electrolyte lying above a plane containing infinitely long, narrow electrodes juxtaposed and arranged in an infinitely alternating array with even symmetry. In contrast to the previous studies in this series, the limitation that the electrolyte has finite depth was imposed. Four perspective drawings of the reduced potential function were made to scale to illustrate the potential variation throughout the solution. From this study a practical rule was established for deciding from the behavior of the electrochemical system what effectively is an "infinite thickness" of the electrolyte. Current density variation over the anode was evaluated for several different combinations of relative thickness b/c and of relative polarization parameter ~/c. When b/c is small, the major part of the corrosion current is concentrated in the vicinity of the anode-cathode junction, provided that the electrical resistance of corrodent is not too high or the polarization too strong, i.e., provided that ~ is relatively small in comparison with c. Several graphs of C* (x) were included to illustrate the effects of the dimensionless groups (a/e), (b/c), and (~/c). Comparison with published experimental data was made, and the agreement …

"This paper describes a miniature pilot plant for studying solvent extraction processes which can be built at a small fraction of the cost of that associated with semi-works construction, and can be used to obtain data comparable to that from pilot plant runs."

The design and construction of a 1,000,000 fps rotating mirror frame camera is described. Twenty five consecutive pictures 20 mm in diameter can be obtained on a strip of 35 mm film. A resolution of at least 20 lines/mm is obtained on a moderately fast film like Linagraph Shellburst. Accurate synchronization of the event to be photographed is required. The camera has been most useful in the investigation of explosive and related phenomena.

In the a study of plutonium production, the analytical solutions of the various isotope production equations are difficult and time consuming when spatial variation of the flux is considered. In an effort to reduce the time and labor required to determine the integrated production of a given thermal reactor, a graphical method of analysis is presented. The method is based on the assumption that the reactor may be divided into a relatively small number of regions such that the flux in each of these regions may be assumed constant. The production of the given isotope for each region is then read from the appropriate graph. The total production is obtained by adding the productions of all the regions.

Precise solutions are given for the problem of the semi-infinite strip extending from x=0 to x=infinity, stress-free along the edges y= +-1, when the edge x=0 is subject (a) to a quadratic sheer displacement and zero normal stress, (b) to a cubic normal displacement and zero sheer stress. These are the two simplest (non-trivial) end problems of the semi-infinite strip, antisymmetric in y, that may be formulated. The corresponding symmetric problems (a) linear seer displacement and zero normal stress, (b) quadratic normal displacement and zero sheer stress, were solved in earlier papers.

Progress report on the status of various projects in the area of radioactive materials and nuclear power, covering the period from July to September 1953.

Report discussing the progress made on various research projects during the period from April 1954 to June 1954.

As a result of an operating nuclear reactor, several accelerators and many laboratories using radioactive isotopes, considerable amounts of radioactive gaseous, liquid and solid wastes are generated at Brookhaven.

A basic technique in the design of a nuclear power reactor is to prescribe the dimensions and composition of a simplified model and to calculate the corresponding neutron flux and power distributions. Comparison of calculations for different models and of particular calculations to experimental results guides the physicist to a reasonable prescription. Until recently, the usual model had spherical or cylindrical symmetry. We have found it feasible to extend the methods to include a class of reactors in which there is variation of composition with respect to two space-dimensions. In this paper, we summarize some of our experience with these calculations.

The prompt administration of zirconium citrate was at least twice as effective as the prompt administration of calcium disodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CaEDTA) in preventing deposition of plutonium in the skeleton. On the other hand, CaEDTA was twice as effective as zirconium citrate in preventing the deposition of plutonium in soft tissues. The combined administration of zirconium citrate and CaEDTA was the most effective treatment for preventing the deposition of plutonium in the total rat. Zirconium malate offered no advantage over zirconium citrate, and appeared to be somewhat more toxic. Three doses of the zirconium salts over a four-day period were no more effective than a single dose.

Two spectrophotometric methods are given for determining dissociation constants of dibasic acids. Each method is applicable for any degree of overlapping of the dissociation constants. Neither method requires a direct measurement of the extinction coefficient of any of the individual species that are in equilibrium with each other. A minimum amount of data is required in either method.

A report which investigated the effects of a number of elements on the workability, hardness, and high-temperature strength of zirconium were investigated.