Abstract: "A method has been developed for the determination of sodium monoxide in sodium which depends upon the reaction between sodium and n-butyl bromide in hexane solution. The sodium monoxide does not react with the reagent and can be determined, after the addition of water, by titration. The method is comparatively rapid, requires only the simplest of equipment, and it has the advantage that both oxygen and other impurities can be determined on the same sample."

From abstract: "Data obtained in laboratory studies of the 'fumelses dissolving' of irradiated uranium are presented. Procedures for handling dissolver off-gases are proposed."

Report discussing the use of a small-source approximation for engineering calculation of thermal piles. Explanation for how this type of approximation is more appropriate in certain problematic situations where a homogenization approximation would be doubtful is given.

The following report provides value tables of resonance intervals for various elements and materials.

Report discussing the refractory properties of pure uranium dioxide, as well as methods for forming the compound. Health hazards of uranium dioxide are briefly mentioned.

Report describing the temperature in the Brookhaven concrete shield proposed for the X reactor. The report details the methods and equations used to find the values that determined that the effect of the gun barrel assembly in cooling the concrete is negligible.

The study was undertaken with the objective of observing the distribution in the rat of organic compounds of phosphorus labelled with the P32 isotope as tracer. The fate of several of these compounds was studied in animals bearing tumors. The distribution of inorganic phosphate in animal tissues is well known but was included in this work for comparison with the organic phosphorus compounds.

This progress report discusses new additions to the Mathematics Panel and discusses new and further work happening at Oak Ridge National Laboratory relating to the Mathematics Panel, of particular note is the Oak Ridge computer which is being fabricated at Argonne National Laboratory and the Technitrol Company.

Abstract: "The effect of variation in fuel element density upon f, p in a D2O cooled and moderated lattice of cylindrical fuel elements is investigated. The CP-3 lattice is chosen as a reference. The effect of a source term in the fuel element is considered. f, p are calculated as functions of "a", the ratio of the modified fuel element density to the original (fuel only) density. Curves showing f(a), p(a) are included. It is concluded that a 1 per cent decrease in the product, f(d), p(a) is not suffered until a=0.3. A 5 per cent decrease in k is estimated at a-0.4. The necessity of introducing the fuel element source term into the calculation after a has been decreased to about 0.6 is brought out."

This quarterly progress report discusses ongoing research and experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Metallurgy Division. This report discusses thorium research, the mechanical properties of metals including thorium, uranium, inconel, and z-nickel, the ANP program (including the following topics: the physical chemistry of liquid metals, and welding research), and the materials testing reactor program.

This report describes the manufacture of 25 Aluminum clad, 10 w/o plutonium-aluminum alloy and 5 w/o plutonium-aluminum alloy cored specimens for Argonne National Laboratory-University of California irradiation tests in the Materials Testing Reactor. The manufacturing method: preparation of cores and cladding material, assembly and welding of compacts, outgassing, roll bonding, shearing, identification marking and final fabrication into napkin "rings" is described in detail. Of ninety-six specimens fabricated, ninety-one were completed as finished specimens. Forty-four of these contained 5 w/o plutonium alloy cores and forty-seven contained 10 w/o plutonium alloy cores. Five specimens ere rejected for bond blistering.

The purpose of this work was (1) to investigate the possibility of producing zirconium-clad zirconium-uranium alloy objects by casting the core alloy directly into zirconium and zirconium-3 w/o tin jackets, producing a diffusion bond at the jacket-core interfaces, and (2) to produce small scale heat thru-put test specimens by this method.

From introduction: "Analytical procedures for the determination of plutonium samples from the extraction and concentration plants utilize the carrying of the hydroxylamine-reduced trivulent plutonium by coprecipitation on lanthanum fluoride. Most other plutonium procedures also take advantage of the efficient carrying on lanthanum fluoride."

From abstract: "Two samples, each containing an estimated 10 curies (2 mg) of polonium-210, were purified by vacuum distillation and evaporated onto oblique sections of X-ray targets made of copper. Four lines of the K series and ten lines of the L series of the X-ray spectrum of polonium were recorded with a one-meter transmission crystal spectrograph and a 25-centimeter Bragg spectrograph, respectively. Measured wavelengths agree approximately with values predicted by extrapolation of Moseley's law and with those claimed by Hulubei. Decay of polonium-210 (half life = 138 days) and growth of lead-206 (stable) were observed over a period of 180 days."

The following document describes observations from tests on neptunium metal and their reactions to different room temperatures.

Radioactive decay data are used to calculate the atomic masses of the heavy isotopes, A> 203. The four radioactive families are then connected by means of neutron binding energies known from reactions on various isotopes. Finally all the masses are collectively adjusted for the best fit with mass spectrographic information available in this region. The masses so calculated are presented. Differences between masses of isotopes are estimated to have an of (plus/minus) 0.00020 mas units or about 200 Kev; the position of the masses taken collectively is in doubt by about 1.5 Mev.

"A small quantity of a Np-237, the long-lived ancestor of the 4n + 1 series, has been isolated from a natural source. The Th-229 content of the Th-230 obtained from Belgian Congo pitchblende concentrate and of Th-232 obtained from Brazilian monazite has been determined indirectly through isolation of the Ac-225 daughter. The mass ratio of Np-237 to U-238 in the Belgian Congo pitchblende concentrate has been determined as (1.8 +/- 0.4) x 10-(-12). The mass ratio of U-233 to U-238 in the same ore deposit is found to be (1.3 +/- 0.2) x 10-(-13). The ratio of the respective neutron-capture cross sections of U-238 in the ore body for the (n, 2n) and (n, gamma) reactions is calculated to be (1.3 +/- 0.6) x 10-(-3) on the basis of the relative Np-237 and Pu-239 contents."

The question has arisen of how the beam in A-12 as a long resonant cavity might effect the frequency of operation and the field distribution. This study is published to make available the calculation of the direct beam effect as an illustration of general methods of attacking perturbing effects in resonant cavities.

The following report describes data on the provided phase equilibrium systems that show the general nature of the diagrams and the compounds and solid solutions which occur.

Abstract: "Preliminary data have been taken to evaluate X-ray absorption at the L III edge of uranium as a method of detection of uranium in solution. Uranium concentrations in water from 150 ppm to 30,000 ppm have been investigated. The effect of copper as a typical contaminant in the range of 737 ppm of copper to 36,850 ppm of copper has been investigated for a representative uranium solution. Instrumentation has been constantly improved and suggestions for further improvements in amplifying and counting equipment are included. Comparison of experimental data with theory indicates that the derived equations are adequate."

Summary of progress on various research projects conducted during January, 1952.

Report discussing statistical quality control for the period of December, 1951-February, 1952. Statistical quality control is provided for studies of the General Ionic Analyses Laboratory, the HR Control Laboratory, and the X-10 Laboratories.

From abstract: "This report presents the progress in the laboratory development of a continuous solvent recovery process for the tributyl phosphate-diluent mixture used in the Purex Process. Investigations were made with 1/2" diameter pulse columns, using a nine foot sodium carbonate contacting column and a four foot water wash column."

Studies of ionic entropies in methanol and ammonia have led to the suggestion that ionic entropies in water are abnormally high. An explanation of this hypothesis may be given in terms of entropies of solvation and the high degree of hydrogen bonding in water. When an ion enters water, more disorder is created than when it enters another, less hydrogen-bonded, solvent.