Abstract: "The distribution ratios and equilibrium constants for the extraction of zirconium and hafnium from 4 M perchloric acid with various combinations of fluorinated [beta]-diketones and organic solvents have been determined. The separation factors K'Zr/K'HF, found for this acidity were: Z-thenoyltrifluoroacetone in benzene, 25; Z-thenoyltrifluoroacetone in o-dichlorobenzene, 16; benzoyltrifluoroacetone in benzene, 18; isovaleroyltrifluoroacetone in benzene, 13; isovaleroyltrifluoroacetone in n-hexane, 13."

Abstract: The silicides of Ti, Zr, Ce and Nb were investigated to determine the phases present at temperatures around 2000 K. The reactions of silicides of Ti, Zr, Ce, Nb, Ta, Mo, and W with carbon were studied at these temperatures. Also a limited amount of work was done on the reactions of some of the silicides with nitrogen. The data have been used to establish ternary phase diagrams for the systems and to obtain upper and lower limits for the heats of formation of the silicides.

From Abstract: "In order to study the mechanism of excitation of nuclear levels by inelastic scattering, a scattering chamber of 36-inch diameter was constructed. The deflected beam of the Berkeley 60-inch cyclotron was brought out of the shielding by means of strong focusing magnets. Particles from the nuclear reactions were detected by either of two systems, a quadruple proportional-counter telescope, or a coincidence crystal spectrometer. Energy resolution was of the order of 2.5%."

The following report is a general monthly progress report for the University of California's radiation laboratory in Berkeley, covering the period of February 15 to March 15 of 1954.

Abstract: Progress in developing a high-output pulsed proton source is reported. The Ti ion source has been examined to determine the factors influencing its operation. The manner of pulsing this source and measuring the beam current is described. Disadvantages of the Ti source are discussed together with the characteristics of improved versions developed during the period covered by this report. Representative output data are presented and the future experimental program is outlined.

The following quarterly report covers a period between October, November, December of 1953 to April of 1954. The document provides reports on medical and health physics, particularly on the biological studies of radiation effects, the metabolic properties of various materials, radiation chemistry, health chemistry, and health physics.

An apparatus is described that permits the use of highly ionizing radiations of the Berkeley 60-inch Cyclotron for radiobiological experimentation (ie., deuterons, alpha particles and carbon nuclei).