Thermal Properties of Plutonium Dioxide Produced from the Oxidation of Metal (LA-UR-14-22253)

摘要

During the course of the Advanced Recovery and Integrated Extraction System (ARIES) production effort at LANL, we devised a powder processing and assessment regimen for ARIES oxides to guarantee a homogenous, nearly anhydrous oxide product that meets the specifications of the Plutonium Interface Control Document and DOE-STD-3013. Thus far, 50+ oxide lots have been produced and analyzed in preparation for shipment to the Savannah River Site (SRS). A 20 Points agreement details the manner in which LANL meets the requirements of DOE-STD-3013, and specifies the following: 1. Analysis by TGA-MS to ≥ 1000℃ at ≤20℃ per minute. 2. The use of ultra-high-purity argon (99.999%) or helium (99.99%) carrier gas. 3. The sample measured must be ≥3 grams. 4. Moisture is quantified using both M/z= 17 (OH)and M/z=18(H_2O). At LANL, TGA-MS has been performed on approximately 120 PuO_2 samples of various origins over the past 2.5 years, 59 of which are production-scale ARIES UPOPLOT oxides.