Characterization of the Solid Product(S) Formed when UF sub 6 Is Released into Ambient Air in a Contained Volume (U)

摘要

Preliminary characterization of the plume or cloud produced by the release of UF sub 6 into humid air and the particulates comprising this cloud has been accomplished. The explosive release was conducted in a vessel in which the air at atmospheric pressure was static and the particulate material was collected on microscope grids by gravitational settling. Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy (TEM and SEM) have been used to determine the size or range of sizes of the particles produced by the release and the nature of the agglomerates produced from these particles. The particulate material was also analyzed by x-ray diffraction. The plume produced dispersed rapidly, completely filling the 30,000 cm exp 3 release vessel in less than 10 sec. Settling of the particulte material required several hours for completion. Particles produced by the release were generally >1000A spheroids but some as small as 100A were collected. The agglomerates were like those seen in typical smokes, i.e. catenulate or chain-like in nature and several microns in length, although some were less than 1 mu in dimension. X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the material to be UO sub 2 F sub 2 2H sub 2 O while infrared absorption spectrometry indicated the presence of UO sub 22+ H sub 2 O in the material. These results were, of course, not for ephemeral species but stable, long-term products. (ERA citation 06:002109)