This report was written by different scientist on various experiments of solid state, physical chemistry, radiochemistry and analytical, and special problems.

New reactors presently in design or construction stages, as well as revised operating procedures for existing reactors, have shown an increasing emphasis on extending the exposure time of the reactor fuel elements. However, operating experience at Hanford, as at other installations, has demonstrated that as the amount of burn-up in uranium metal is increased an increase is also noted in operational difficulties resulting from the dimensional behavior of the fuel. During reactor irradiation uranium slugs or rods have been observed to change in length and diameter, to warp, and to develop surface roughening.

This report describes the first estimation of the beta half-life of Pu241 and was made by determining the beta activity associated with plutonium formed by (d,xn) reactions on U258.

The report is the third in a series of interim reports on the climatological studies which are being conducted at the Argonne National Laboratory. First report appeared as document ANL-4538 and covered the period July, 1949 through June, 1950; the second report, ANL-4793, covered the period July, 1950 through June, 1951. These annual reports are offered for purposes of information only; broad conclusions regarding the climate of this site must await the accumulation of a statistically significant amount of data.

The behavior of light and heavy water solutions of boric acid toward pile radiations has been investigated as a function of boric acid concertation. A study has also been made of the effect of hydrogen, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium iodide on the radiation stability of boric acid solutions.

Report describing the research and development activities related to nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry and basic chemistry conducted by the Argonne National Laboratory Chemistry Division, Section C-1.

Report describing the research and development activities related to nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry and basic chemistry conducted by the Argonne National Laboratory Chemistry Division, Section C-1.

Report issued by the Argonne National Laboratory covering the quarterly report from the Reactor Engineering Division. A summary of reactor programs, designs, development, and experiments are presented. This report includes tables, illustrations, and photographs.

The susceptibleness of certain "ceramic" substances to extreme radiation damage (such as that observed in graphite) as indicated by changes in dimensions and heat content is discussed in terms of the experimental evidence which is available.

The growth of alpha-rolled uranium rods on thermal cycling has been shown to depend on both preferred orientation and grain size. Preferred orientation appears to be a necessary condition for growth to occur; the extent of the growth depends upon the sharpness and type of texture developed and on the grain size. The highest growth rates occur in specimens with highly developed textures coupled with small grain sizes. The growth rates increase with cycling level, particularly in specimens of large grain size.

The thermal cycling growth and the accompanying metallographic changes were studied in 300 [degree] C rolled uranium rods up to 3000 cycles. The growth rate was found to decrease at the higher cycling levels. Project-grade material developed substantial porosity during cycling; high purity material showed no evidence of porosity.

The Helium Leak Detector Test provides a method for detecting the presence of minute holes, cracks, fissures, etc. in the aluminum jackets of Hanford and Savannah River reactor fuel slugs which would allow moisture to penetrate to the uranium during reactor operation.

This quarterly progress report discusses ongoing research and experiments at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the Metallurgy Division. This report discusses (1) water-cooled reactors, (2) liquid metal-cooled reactors, (3) reactor development - fuel metallurgy, (4) reactor development - component metallurgy, (5) basic metallurgy, (6) basic ceramics, (7) aqueous corrosion, and (8) applied metallurgy.

On June 2, 1952, 15:52 hours, a large reactivity change was made manually in a ZPR-1 assembly causing a power excursion of about one kwh, which resulted in damage to the reactor core components and radiation exposure of some of the operating personnel to perhaps several rep. None of the contributing causes is reviewed here nor are the measures which were taken to reduce the probability of a recurrence discussed since these are considered administrative matters beyond the scope of this technical report. It is intended only to describe the incident, estimate the exposures and present available clinical data.

Water corrosion tests on mechanically jacketed and pinholed thorium slugs show that these slugs fail in a manner similar to that observed for mechanically jacketed and tested uranium slugs. The proposed mechanism for the water corrosion of these jacketed slugs is analogous to the water corrosion mechanism of jacketed uranium slugs presented in the project lecture. A bare thorium slug appeared to be more resistant to corrosion by water than a mechanically jacketed slug during the first half of the autoclave test. After approximately 90 hours of testing both the bare and the mechanically jacketed thorium slugs were severely corroded by water.

This supplement includes reports on (1) transmission measurements with the fast chopper, (2) a search for Pu244, (3) crystallographic studies, (4) resonance flux in CP-[gamma], (5) multigroup methods for concentrated fast assemblies, (6) work on the ZPR-1 Reactor, and (7) work on the ZPR-II Reactor.

A fuel element assembly in which a uranium slug is bonded to an impact extruded aluminum can by means of aluminum-silicon eutectic, and in which the can is capped with a thin aluminum disc, brazed and welded to the can, may contain,(a) imperfections common to brazed and welded metal sections, and (b) inhomogeneities arising from oxidation of uranium, and alloy formation between uranium, aluminum and silicon.

An analytical method has been developed for zirconium and fluoride ions in the system resulting from the dissolution of fuel elements in hydrofluoric acid. The method is based on determination of the density and electrical conductivity of the dissolved metal solution.

The tests described in this report were static tests devised to afford a basis for a quick evaluation of the resistance of uranium to attack by lithium. The work was done at the same time as the tests of beryllium, thorium, and various engineering metals in lithium (described in ANL-4990); but the results with uranium are given in the present classified report so that the results of the other tests can be published as an unclassified document. The procedure for carrying out the tests is described in ANL-4990.

The results of this study are tabulated in Summary Tables A and B below. For the most part, these values were read from smoothed curves drawn thru the plotted experimental data. The values for aluminum (i.e., 0 w/o Li) were taken from the 1948 Edition of the ASM Metals Handbook. The room temperature properties are reported for lithium contents of 0, 3.5, 7 and 10 weight per cent. In the case of the high temperature properties, there were insufficient data to allow extrapolation and interpolation to pre-chosen compositions: these properties are therefore reported only for the compositions of the actual samples.

This report deals with the (1.1) physical properties of graphite, (1.2) effects of pile irradiation on the properties of graphite, (1.3) effect of irradiation on "ceramic" materials, (1.4) effects of radiation on ice -- the x-ray induced luminescence of ice, (1.5) investigation of color centers and other optical properties of single crystals. (2.1) radiation chemistry of liquids, (2.2) application of mass spectrometry to chemical problems, (2.3) vapor pressure and heat of vaporization of uranium, (3.1) nuclear properties of Zr93 and Nb93m from fission, (3.2) mass distribution in the spontaneous fission of Cm242, (3.3) Upper limit to the lifetimes of the first excited states of Th236, U234, and Pu236, (3.4) on the one-body model of alpha radioactivity, (4.1) spectrographic analysis, (4.2) chemical analysis, (5.1) paramagnetic resonance measurements, and (5.2) the 60-inch cyclotron.

This report deals with the (1.1) physical properties of graphite, (1.2) effects of pile irradiation on the properties of graphite, (1.3) effect of irradiation on "ceramic" materials, (1.4) effects of radiation on ice -- the x-ray induced luminescence of ice, (1.5) investigation of color centers and other optical properties of single crystals. (2.1) radiation chemistry of liquids, (2.2) application of mass spectrometry to chemical problems, (2.3) vapor pressure and heat of vaporization of uranium, (3.1) nuclear properties of Zr93 and Nb93m from fission, (3.2) mass distribution in the spontaneous fission of Cm242, (3.3) Upper limit to the lifetimes of the first excited states of Th236, U234, and Pu236, (3.4) on the one-body model of alpha radioactivity, (4.1) spectrographic analysis, (4.2) chemical analysis, (5.1) paramagnetic resonance measurements, and (5.2) the 60-inch cyclotron.

A method for monitoring radiation damage irradiations using the change of the electrical conductivity of graphite is described. Results of monitoring operations in a number of locations are given. An attempt is made to explain the damage rate found in the converter at CP-3. An estimate of the flux spectrum in VT-4 and the converter of CP-3 is made and the damage rate is computed according to theories of Seitz and James. It is found that the experimental results are more in accord with the predictions of Seitz. A number of corrections to James' report, ORNL-307, are noted in an appendix. It is shown that some information about the fast flux spectrum can be inferred from the radiation damage rate.

The use of bromine trifluoride solution has been investigated for the preparation of purified uranium hexafluoride from ore concentrates. The best yields were obtained with the use of antimony pentafluoride solutions in bromine trifluoride, and less fluorine was consumed in the case of previously hydro fluorinated samples. This approach appears to be technologically sound and may prove economically superior to existing procedures in the case of newly constructed facilities.