Abstract: Pure UO2F2 is made by reaction between anhydrous HF and pure UO3. Although it is difficult to prepare free of water, it is not very hygroscopic. Prolonged heating at 100-105 degrees releases 99.9% of the water in an aqueous solution; the rate of loss of water is very small after saturation is reached. X-ray diffraction data give a density of 6.2 for the solid. The density of a 1.004 M solution is 1.274; the density of a saturated solution (5.130 M) is 2.400. The densities of F-9 solutions have been calculated from the densities of ordinary aqueous solutions, and the values are compared graphically. Data on the solubility indicate that there is a small increase in the range 25-100 degrees. Recovery of pure F-9 from a solution is hampered by hydrolysis of U)2F2 to give HF. The HF may be held back by addition of UO3 or CaO; the use of the latter, however, makes more difficult the recovery of all the F-9. Molar conductivities of UO2F2 solutions at 25 degrees, as well as the specific conductivities of a 1 molar solution containing various concentrations of UO3, have been determined. The addition of UO3 lowers the conductivity. The low …

Abstract: Experiments on colloid milling and pumping show that uranium trioxide, when carefully dehydrated, can be dispersed in water to form a relatively stable slurry, suitable for a homogeneous slurry pile. At temperatures considerably below those of anticipated pile operation particle size growth occurs attended by increase in settling rate and decrease in viscosity. Theses properties of the slurries may be strongly affected by impurities present as well as by special operating conditions.

Abstract. The effect of various inhibitors on the production of CrIII in W waters containing chromatic has been studies at a variety of pH's in the CP-3 pile. The addition of 2 ppm NaClO3 appears to have little effect a a pH of 5.3, but 2 ppm NaClO3 cr 0.15 ppm of Cl2 (in the form of NaOCl) somewhat decreases the amount of chromatic reduced at a pH of 7.1. The inhibition is not great enough, however, to reduce the amount of CrIII formed to the maximum concentration permissible at W (0.02 ppm). The addition of 3 ppm (NH4)2S2O3 as an inhibiter will permit W water to be used a a Ph of 7.0, but not at a pH of 6.5 as far as chromate reduction is concerned. The concentration of CrIII would be 0.01 ppm and 0.05 ppm, respectively, after one passage through the pile. Previous conclusion as to the effects of temperature, pH, intensity and the addition of ammonium persulfate, which had been reached from experiments with simulation W water, have been checked by studies with solutions made from water chipped directly from Hanford. All of the effects noted were found to be similar to those already reported, …

Abstract. the electrodeposition of uranium metal, in the form of tree-like deposits, from molten strontium halide baths is described. Under the best conditions studied, approximately 40% recovery is attained. Freedom from side-reactions of the reduced uranium with anode products and/or refractory materials, and high cathode current densities appear to be essential to the success of the process. the refining of uranium under similar conditions appears to occur quite readily, with approximately 50% current efficiency. The preparation of UI3 is also described.

Abstract. In addition to the hexagonal and monoclinic bismuth phosphate precipitates, whose structures are now known, a third crystalline phase has been found to appear in BiPO4 precipitates after (a) extremely long digestion in concentrated nitric acid; (b) oven drying at 800 degrees to 1000 degrees. Thought very small single crystals of the component have been isolated, nor crushed sample contained less than 30% of the beta-form. The cell size and symmetry of the crystal indicates that there ae two bismuth atoms in the cell, and there is no evidence that the compound is not BiPO4. It is suggested that this maty be a third form of BiPO4, stable over a short range of conditions, and tending to revert to the beta-form.

Abstract. Wigner effects on aluminum, beryllium, and tuballoy have been studied by the electrical resistance method. Samples were exposed during an interval which would have produced an increase of approximately 22% in resistance of AGOT-K graphite. The resistance of tuballoy increased approximately 1%. It is shown that the increase can be accounted for by the amount of fission product impurity formed during the exposure. Neither aluminum nor beryllium showed any change. In the case of Be, the Wigner effect may be obscured, to some extent, by the approximately .2 - .3 atom % of impurity present in the samples. Based on the increase occurring in ADOT-K graphite, a change of approximately .2 - .5 x10-6 ohm-om might be expected in the case of Be. The accuracy of the method was sufficiently great to detect a change of this magnitude. Other experiments with Be will be undertaken when purer samples are available. Meanwhile, some samples of the present type ae being subjected to further irradiation.

Technical report with short reports on (1) Effect of radiation on organic compounds; (2) Effect of radiation on separation processes; (3) Effect of radiation on water and aqueous systems; and (4) Effect of neutrons on graphite.

Abstract. a method of recovering thorium from slag from the bomb process of producing thorium has been developed. HCl and NaOH are the only chemicals required in quantity. Materials required for a representative slag are given.

Abstract. A portion of the liquid-solid phase equilibrium region of the system U-UBr3 has been investigated by the method of thermal analysis. Uranium tribromide was prepared by introducing bromine vapor into a bulb containing finely divided uranium formed from the hydride. Cooling curves were obtained with tribromide and then with various compositions of tribromide and uranium. the information obtained showed that no solid sub halide exists but that the metal was soluble in the halide.

Abstract. to estimate the oxygen picked up by thorium in casting a rapid method of running the acid insoluble content was developed. the quickest procedure consists of reacting with mixed acids, fuming with perchloric and filtration to separate the "free" thorium from the "combined". The precipitate is ignited and weighed as thorium dioxide.

Technical report containing short articles on (1) Determination of physical constants for U233; (2) Determination of decay chain of U233; (3) Extraction of U233; (4) Extracting solvents for uranium; (5) Factors affecting the extraction uranium and thorium by organic solvents, especially ether; and (6) Analysis of ore samples for protoactinium.

.Technical report describing the transference experiments. The carrying of zirconium and columbium by ferric hydroxide has a very marked dependence on pH. In the experiments it was noticed that the concentration of Zr activity in various solutions changed with time This indicated that the Zr was being adsorbed on the glass. The carrier free trace is adsorbed on glass. This effect must be considered in experiments with Zr tracer in glass apparatus.

Abstract. A summary of the effect of metal, carbon, silicon, and oxygen impurities upon the various sulfide refractories is given and the proper procedures for elimination of the impurities are discussed. CeS which is properly prepared can be handled in air without danger of catching fire or appreciable oxidation. 650 satisfactory crucibles have been made to date using sulfides which were screened and pressed in air with less than 0.5% oxygen pickup. The other cerium and thorium sulfides are even more inert to oxidation than is CeS. Phase diagram possibilities are discussed for the cerium and thorium sulfide and oxy-sulfide systems. Further study of the ThS has shown that ThS crucibles are the highest melting and least volatile of the sulfide crucibles and ThS may be used for remelting of some metals up to 2000 degrees C. ThS crucibles appear to be the most suitable containers for metal reductions.

Abstract. thorium can be precipitated as a salt of p-dimethylaminoazophenylarsonic acid at a pH of about 1.5. the precipitate, collected on a sintered glass filter is washed with dilute ammonium hydroxide to dissolve the dye. the amount of thorium is determined by measuring the concentration of the dye spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 450 millimicrons. Zirconium, which interferes, can be separated and determined using the same reagent in strong hydrochloric. the behavior of thorium metal upon treatment with various acids and upon fusion withKHSO4 is described. three satisfactory procedures are given for dissolving the metal with sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and by a potassium hydrogen sulfate fusion. The laboratory was presented with the problem of analyzing for a large number of elements in O2 metal. the results of a systematic study of methods for effecting solution of the metal are offered here since they may be of some interest and use to other laboratories. The four methods which effected complete solution of the metal are (1) Sulfuric acid method; (2) Fusion method; (3) Phosphoric acid method; and (4) Nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid method.

Abstract. Fluorides and other halides are hydrolyzed completely by passing a rapid stream of superheated steam over the sample near 1000 degrees C in a specially designed platinum reaction tube. The steam and hydrogen halide are condensed by cooling, and the resulting distillate titrated with standard sodium hydroxide solution. The fluorides and chlorides of the light metals, hitherto thought of as very difficult to hydrolyze, are mixed with U3O8, or other metallic oxides, which reacts with the products of hydrolysis, thus shifting the equilibrium so that the reaction is complete in a comparatively short time. A description of the apparatus, including photographs, the recommended method of procedure, hydrolysis rate graphs, and suggestions for further applications of the method are given.

Abstract. In the first section of this technical report a new method of extracting uranium from thorium nitrate solution is discussed. This method consists of extracting an aqueous solution of thorium nitrate, nitric acid, sodium sulphate, and potassium thiocyanate with hexone. By this procedure, using an equal volume of hexone it is possible to extract 83 percent of the uranium while only 0.3 percent of the thorium is extracted. other experiments show that even greater separations are possible. In the second section of this report the use of antipyrine in solvent extraction procedures is discussed. Experiments are described in which 90 percent of the uranium is extracted while the thorium is extracted to the order of 3 to 5 percent.

Abstract. It has been established that heating samples of graphite during exposure in a pile decreases substantially the observed changes in the elastic modulus and electrical resistance caused by the irradiation. The functional relationship between the percentage changes observed and the temperature of exposure resembles the relationship between the final percentage changes and the temperature of heat treatment after exposure (cf. report CC-1668). Anomalous results reported previously for higher temperatures in CC01669 are now shown to be attributable to a destructive influence on the graphite, probably oxidation of samples exposed in air.

Technical report with short reports on (1) Effect of radiation on water and aqueous systems; (2) Gas evolution from uranyl solutions; (3) Effect of radiation on solid compounds; (4) Instruments; and (5) Scattering.

Abstract. In order to anticipate radiation - chemical effects in solutions of active lanthanum, various solutions and suspensions containing lanthanum were irradiated with an electron beam. Separation of lanthanum from barium by the alcoholic HCl method is not rendered less efficient by radiation, although considerable gas evolution occurs. Suspensions of lanthanum as hydroxide and as ferrocyanide are not appreciably solubilized by radiation. Lanthanum oxalate is decomposed by radiation, is partially thrown into solution, and finally dissolves completely when all the excess oxalate ion in the solution has been destroyed.

Introduction. the colorimetric determination of iron based on the formation of the colored ferrous-1,10-phenanthroline complex has been used successfully by a number of investigators. In this technical report, its adaptation to the routine determination of iron in cerium, thorium, and beryllium metals and their compounds is described.

Abstract. Methods for determination of both uranium and nickel in solutions of these metals are described. Alloys can be dissolved in nitric acid treated with citric acid to complex the uranium, and the nickel precipitated as nicked dimethylglyoxime. The uranium is reduced and titrated with standard ceric sulfate. These methods are for the determination of macro amounts of uranium and nickel with errors on the order of 0.1%.

Abstract. Spectrographic procedures for determining small amounts of the common contaminants in beryllium and its compounds are described. Suggestions relative to the preparation of synthetic standards are also given.

Introduction. Some forty different uranium compounds have now been given diffraction study at Ames. Reports of these investigations are scattered in the Project literature; many have been reported in a sentence or two as a note along with chemical or metallographic reports. To make the results of this crystal structure work more available this summary of the Ames work has been compiled. (A similar summary has already been published from the Chicago laboratory.)

Abstract. The separation of uranyl nitrate from aqueous solutions of 0.635 M thorium nitrate, 3 M nitric acid and 3 M calcium nitrate by extraction with organic solvents has been investigated. Solvents which gave good separations were 2-tthyl hexyl acetate, ethyl benzoate, n-butyl either and beta-beta- dichloroethyl ether. In general, higher esters, ethers and alcohols are better for separating uranium from thorium that the lower homologues. Several solvents were tested at lower nitric acid concentrations. Dibutyl cellosolve gave a very good separation when the solution was 0.1 M nitric acid. Of the solvent mixtures studied that of equal parts of n-butyl ether and dibutyl cellosolve gave a good separation.