Significance and Use

The materials covered are plutonium metal, plutonium oxide, and uranium-plutonium mixed oxide, including those that must meet ASTM product specifications.

Plutonium and uranium mixtures are used as nuclear reactor fuels. For use as a nuclear reactor fuel, the material must meet certain criteria for combined uranium and pluto-
nium content, effective fissile content, and impurity content as described in Specifications C 757 , C 833 , and C 1008 . The material is assayed for plutonium and uranium to determine if the content is correct as specified by the purchaser.

The materials not covered are unique plutonium materials, including alloys, compounds, and scrap materials. The user must determine the applicability of this practice to these other materials. In general, these unique plutonium materials are dissolved with various acid mixtures or by fusion with various fluxes. Many plutonium salts are soluble in hydrochloric acid.

1. Scope

1.1 This practice is a compilation of dissolution techniques for plutonium materials that are applicable to the test methods used for characterizing these materials. Dissolution treatments for the major plutonium materials assayed for plutonium or analyzed for other components are listed. Aliquants of the dissolved samples are dispensed on a weight basis when one of the analyses must be highly reliable, such as plutonium assay; otherwise they are dispensed on a volume basis.

1.2 The treatments, in order of presentation, are as follows:

1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.

1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

C757 Specification for Nuclear-Grade Plutonium Dioxide Powder, Sinterable

C833 Specification for Sintered (Uranium-Plutonium) Dioxide Pellets

C859 Terminology Relating to Nuclear Materials

C1008 Specification for Sintered (Uranium-Plutonium) Dioxide Pellets--Fast Reactor Fuel

Keywords

compilation of dissolution techniques; plutonium analysis preparation; plutonium dissolution; plutonium metal dissolution; plutonium oxide dissolution; uranium-plutonium mixed oxide dissolution; Chemical analysis--nuclear materials; Contamination--nuclear; Dissolution; Plutonium; Plutonium solutions; Specimen preparation (for testing)--nuclear applications; Uranium-plutonium mixed oxide;

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 27.120.30 (Fissile materials and nuclear fuel technology)

DOI: 10.1520/C1168-08

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.

ASTM C1168