The Actinide Research Quarterly

12 Pages·1997·0.42 MB·English

by  Susan Carlson

Fall 1997 Los Alamos National Laboratory • A U.S. Department of Energy Laboratory
TA
The Actinide Research
Quarterly
55
o f t h e N u c l e a r M a t e r i a l s T e c h n o l o g y D i v i s i o n
In This Issue Conference Provides International Forum
"A great deal of
on Plutonium Science
1 modern life revolves
Conference Provides The 300 participants registered for the international conference around science. We
International Forum “Plutonium Futures—The Science” represented 14 countries* as well need scientists and
on Plutonium as Department of Energy national laboratories and other federal and engineers to make
Science international institutions, universities, and industries. Among the the discoveries
and developments
attendees were 20 students and 17 faculty members, representing 14
4 universities from the USA, France, and Sweden. Los Alamos National necessary to compete
X-Ray Fluorescence Laboratory in cooperation with the American Nuclear Society spon- in a highly techno-
Is Useful for Actinide sored the conference to discuss the current state of plutonium and logical world...We
Characterization actinide sciences and to rejuvenate the science needed to solve the need a higher level
of science literacy in
international issues surrounding these materials.
6 The conference, which ran from August 25 through 27, 1997, at the the general popula-
LANL Faces Hilton Hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico, began with a welcoming mes- tion in order that
Institutional sage by Laboratory Director Sig Hecker followed by five plenary lec- its members may
Challenges in Its tures. In a videotaped presentation Dr. Glenn Seaborg, awarded a 1951 perform adequately
Nuclear Future Nobel Prize in chemistry for his discovery of plutonium, talked about in a technological
society."
the history of the discovery of the element and his personal perspective
9 on the evolving use of plutonium in our society. Dr. Seaborg, in a class- Dr. Glenn Seaborg
Recent Publications, room setting at the University of California, Berkeley, emphasized the
Presentations, and importance of attracting young researchers to the field.
Reports
11
Personas Elementum
12
NewsMakers
*Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada,
France, Germany, Japan, Kazakhstan,
Korea, Russia, Spain, Sweden, UK, USA
1
Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Actinide Research Quarterly
The five technical sessions that followed
during the two and a half days covered topics
under the broad categories of materials sci-
ence, transuranic waste forms, nuclear fuels
and isotopes, separations, actinides in the
environment, detection and analysis, pluto-
nium, and actinide compounds and complexes.
The papers within these areas spanned an
extremely wide range of technical topics and
Dr. Seaborg set in motion another theme of gave attendees a chance to learn about current
A Web page the conference, that of the utility and impor- research outside of their particular specialties.
has been tance of plutonium and other transuranic There were more than 100 papers presented
established for elements in medical applications and energy at the conference. Among those were 12 in
suggestions and the need to better educate the public materials science, 26 in transuranic waste
and comments about the risks and benefits of these elements. forms, 5 in nuclear fuels and isotopes, 19 in
concerning the He characterized nuclear energy as a rational separations, 12 in actinides in the environment,
conference: approach to the dangers of various other en- 9 in detection and analysis, and 13 in pluto-
see http:// ergy sources and predicted that the depletion nium and actinide compounds and complexes.
www.lanl.gov/ of those other sources will
puconf97/ mean an eventual return
to breeder reactors and
nuclear energy using both
plutonium and the most
abundant isotope of ura-
nium, 238U.
Other plenary speak-
ers included Dr. Victor
Mourogov of the Interna-
tional Atomic Energy
Agency, Dr. Alan Waltar,
Dr. Daniel Kerlinsky, and
Dr. Darleane Hoffman.
The speakers addressed
the core science issues associated with nuclear Topics covered the entire gamut from the
proliferation and nuclear energy: the safe general, e.g., overview of work at the V. G.
storage and ultimate disposal of surplus Khlopin Radium Institute, to the specific, e.g.,
This article was
weapons material and management of large specific separations techniques for specific
contributed by
inventories of actinides from civilian nuclear types of mixed wastes, material and thermody-
Ann Mauzy, CIC-1,
power generation. Representing the “loyal namic properties, and spectroscopic studies of
who covered the
opposition,” Daniel Kerlinsky, Physicians for actinides.
conference for
Social Responsibility, agreed that these were In the discussions of nuclear fuels,
Actinide Research
the basic science issues and also urged interna- Dr. Seaborg and a number of other speakers
Quarterly.
tional cooperation. The final plenary speaker, noted that nearly 20% of the electricity gener-
Dr. Darleane Hoffman, echoed Dr. Seaborg’s ated around the world presently comes from
message emphasizing the challenges and op- fission energy of plutonium in nuclear reac-
portunities for basic research that plutonium tors. Others noted that about 60 metric tons of
and the other actinides present. excess plutonium will be recovered from war-
heads being dismantled under the START I
2 Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Fall 1997
Rhodes Challenges
and II agreements.
The central question Plutonium Scientists
is, “What is the best
Pulitzer Prize-winning author (The
way to use/dispose
Making of the Atomic Bomb) Richard
of this plutonium?” “Moralizing
Rhodes challenged the conference
The need for in-
attendees to use the public health about subjects
ternational coopera-
model, the one that has eradicated that are essen-
tion in answering this
smallpox from the earth, in solving tially technical
question was nicely
problems of nuclear proliferation and
summed up by Rich- (disease was
nuclear energy. In his talk entitled
ard Rhodes, the once considered
“Public Health, Public Knowledge,
banquet speaker a punishment
Public Peace” he pointed out, “Moraliz-
(see inset). Rhodes
ing about subjects that are essentially technical (disease was once from God)
sees plutonium as an
considered a punishment from God) blocks the path to finding solu- blocks the
essential resource to
tions.” He placed the ban on reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel in this path to finding
ensure humankind’s
category and pointed out that this decision ignored the fact that there
right to live without solutions.”
are much easier routes for proliferation.
starvation. He sees
In furthering the metaphor, he urged declassification of necessary
nuclear energy and Richard Rhodes
facts, shared open knowledge, committed individuals, and an interna-
nuclear proliferation
tional, nonpoliticized regime of nongovernmental agencies to enable a
as global problems
nuclear materials management system to oversee retrievable storage
that can only be
of plutonium, its separation, and its burnup in power reactors. In work-
solved with global
ing together, he concluded, we will be furthering the greater good: the
solutions.
prevention of nuclear weapons proliferation and the production of
electrical power necessary for civilization.
3
Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Actinide Research Quarterly
X-Ray Fluorescence Is Useful for
Actinide Characterization
Although there is no “silver bullet” ana- they vary in output depending upon the instru-
lytical method that can answer all questions mentation. Most WDXRF systems have high-
At the bottom
about all actinide sample types and problems, power tubes, typically 3 kW–4 kW and use
is a sample of
x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is one crystals for diffracting the emitted x-rays before
process residue
of the myriad of analytical methods that are they are detected. The WDXRF instrument thus
from Rocky Flats
available to answer such questions. X-ray detects elements sequentially, one at a time.
in the form of
fluorescence spectrometry is a mature analyti- There are simultaneous instruments; however,
ash, placed on a
cal method used to determine elemental these simply have separate detector channels
piece of tape.
composition in a wide range of sample types. for each element. The WDXRF instruments offer
At the top is an
The fundamental process is based upon sensitivity, resolution, and both long- and
elemental map
the removal of a core electron from the sample short-term stability.
of the plutonium
by x-rays from an x-ray tube. The resulting The EDXRF instruments utilize a solid-state
distribution
core electron vacancy is filled by an outer-shell detector that captures all elemental x-rays
within the ash
electron, which emits an x-ray that is character- simultaneously. Their rapid analysis is offered
sample using
istic of the element. This provides the qualita- at the expense of spectral resolution and ulti-
x-ray
tive part of the analysis or answers the mate sensitivity. In general, both instruments
microfluorescence.
question, “what elements are present?” The can handle solid and liquid samples with sensi-
The elemental
intensity of the x-ray fluorescence detected is tivities in the tens of parts per million. The de-
map was ac-
directly proportional to the concentration of tection limits vary by element as well as by the
quired with a
the element in the specimen. This value gives matrix.
100-micron
the quantitative part of the analysis or answers The routine samples we analyze by XRF
aperture.
the question, “how much of the include gallium and trace uranium in pluto-
element is present?” This rela- nium and plutonium oxide samples. Although
tively simple process is used other elemental methods are capable of detect-
throughout the world in analyti- ing these elements, the nature of the plutonium
cal laboratories and plants to matrix creates additional challenges that affect
monitor processes, identify con- the accuracy, precision, and speed of the analy-
taminants, and solve problems. sis in these other methods.
At Los Alamos, XRF is an impor- The gallium and uranium analyses begin
tant tool in providing character- the same with sample dissolution, followed by
ization information on a wide removal of the plutonium matrix with ion ex-
variety of samples and support- change resins. The gallium is eluted from the
ing a number of different ion exchange column and collected in a beaker.
programs. Then a zinc internal standard is added, and the
Although the fundamental sample is analyzed directly. This process can
process is simple, the instrumen- provide precision with values approaching
tation used in XRF is neither – 0.1%. The trace uranium, on the other hand,
simple nor inexpensive. The is collected and then concentrated on a resin-
basic instrumentation of power impregnated filter paper. This offers us sensi-
supply, excitation source, and tivities in the low parts-per-million range.
detector is universally similar, While precision is not an issue, this method
but the hardware details are suf- avoids the isotopic interference from the pluto-
ficiently complex to push instru- nium matrix. Both of these analyses support
ment base prices over $100K. such programs as pit rebuilding, surveillance,
There are two types of XRF and development of mixed-oxide (MOX) fuels.
instruments available, wave- Other analyses involving actinide materials
length-dispersive XRF (WDXRF) are applied to samples from Hanford and
and energy-dispersive XRF Rocky Flats. In these analyses, the sludge or ash
(EDXRF). While x-ray tubes are particles are analyzed directly to provide a
common to all XRF instruments, qualitative identification of the elements
4 Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Fall 1997
present. We are currently developing a bulk XRF. The
semiquantitative method that will provide primary advan-
both qualitative identification and relative tage lies in the
quantitative values of the detected elements. small sample
Although this analysis will not provide abso- size, which also
lute concentrations, the values will be refer- helps to keep ex-
enced to known standards for lot-to-lot posures to per-
comparisons. This procedure takes advantage sonnel as low as
of the rapid sample analysis and minimum reasonably
sample preparation requirements, keeps the achievable in
per sample costs low, yet still provides the sample handling
needed composition information on the and analysis.
Joel Dahlby,
sample. Rapid, spatially resolved analysis of MOX
CST-8, operates
The Source Term Testing Program (STTP) surrogates is providing insights into the evo-
an x-ray
project is another area where XRF is providing lution of gallium from potential MOX reactor
microfluorescence
qualitative and quantitative data. In STTP fuel pellets. The presence of gallium is a criti-
instrument, an
brine samples are withdrawn from test con- cal issue for disposing of weapons plutonium
innovative use of
tainers and filtered. The XRF team receives in MOX fuel. Although most of the gallium
XRF to excite a
both the brine and filters for analysis. The XRF can be removed, the mechanism of the re-
specific location
results give a picture of what is dissolved in moval process and behavior of the residual
on a specimen.
the brine and what is suspended within the gallium need to be studied. The capabilities of
The technique
liquid phase of the test material. Both sample XRMF allow us to study the gallium behavior
can be used to
types offer challenges in analysis since calibra- on a scale that does not require the high reso-
perform spatially
tion standards that match the matrix of the un- lution of a scanning electron microscope.
resolved
knowns must be fabricated. Although these Finally, the ultimate goal is to develop an
elemental
analyses are not absolute because of the widely instrument that uses chemical images to pro-
analysis for
varying test container compositions, the values vide both elemental and molecular informa-
concentrations of
provide a relative scale for comparing the ef- tion simultaneously. These chemical images
10 ppm to weight
fects of the brine interactions with the different will rapidly transmit both qualitative and
percent levels.
waste forms being tested. quantitative, spatially resolved information on
In addition to these routine methods, we the elemental and molecular composition of
are actively pursuing new and innovative the sample. This vision is based on integrating
ways to use XRF so we can meet future charac- elemental and molecular spectroscopic data
terization needs. One area of research is the from XRMF, micro-Raman, micro-FTIR (Fou-
use of x-ray microfluorescence (XRMF), which rier transform infrared spectroscopy) and In addition to
utilizes a spatially restricted x-ray beam to ex- x-ray microdiffraction. The principal advan- Principal
cite a specific location on a specimen. The de- tage of this integrated approach is the Investigator
tected x-rays are localized and can provide nondestructive, comprehensive chemical George J. Havrilla,
information on heterogeneity, inclusions, thin information on either small samples or the XRF Team
films, and interfaces. Our current program has spatially resolved images of macroscale includes
several thrusts that offer new approaches to specimens. This multiplexing of spectroscopic Bill Hutchinson,
actinide characterization. The dried spot information would improve characterization Margie Moore,
method has the potential for rapid, multiele- accuracy and minimize multiple sample Lisa Colletti,
mental analysis on small masses of volumes preparations to solve analytical problems. Forrest Weesner,
of material. The method utilizes 10-ml to 50-ml This is just a snapshot of the importance and Christopher
drops of solution, which are dried. The result- of only one analytical method and how ana- Worley of
ing dried residue, which is mere micrograms lytical chemistry as a whole underpins ac- CST-8 and Jon
of material, is analyzed with sensitivities ap- tinide science and actinide production efforts Schoonover of
proaching less than 1 part per billion. This is 3 and how analytical science impacts all of the CST-4.
orders of magnitude better than conventional, scientific efforts at Los Alamos.
5
Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Actinide Research Quarterly
LANL Faces Institutional Challenges
in Its Nuclear Future
Todd LaPorte Social scientists rarely have the opportu- From an institutional perspective, these are
is a professor of nity to become familiar with operations that very demanding goals to achieve and sustain.
Political Science combine demanding technologies, high na- Indeed, the recent extension of LANL’s mis-
at the University tional purpose, and extraordinary institutional sion challenges our capacity to maintain an
of California, challenges. Such an opportunity was afforded organization’s operational balance and to
Berkeley. me this year by the Nuclear Material Technol- successfully navigate the turbulent waters
ogy (NMT) Division and the Nuclear Materials of national politics.
and Stockpile Management Pro- The Lab and NMT already demonstrate
gram Office. The experience was an understanding of highly reliable opera-
at once engaging, informing, and tions. The requisites for evoking the public’s
unsettling. This editorial reflects trust and confidence are more problematic
my unusual view of LANL’s evo- but have drawn a good deal of comment and
lution and could be seen, in part, some analysis. I leave this discussion for an-
as a letter to those who so gra- other venue. Assuring high performance in
ciously became my teachers. the spirit of stewardship for many genera-
As the readers of this quar- tions, i.e., “institutional constancy,” is another
terly know, LANL, especially its matter. It is an unexpected, unfamiliar, though
plutonium-handling facilities apt challenge. Institutional constancy is a
(Technical Area-55, managed by prime condition undergirding the exercise of
NMT), has been tasked to demon- honorable institutional stewardship. It is not
strate its ability to become the well understood and is unexpected within an
nation’s leading organization American political culture that lauds change
with the capacity for “pit and shrinks from continuities of power.
remanufacture,” i.e., periodic remanufacture Institutional constancy implies the faithful
Dr. LaPorte was
of the plutonium components needed to main- adherence to a mission and its operational
an "ex officio"
tain nuclear weapons in a state of highly reli- imperatives in the face of a variety of social
member of the
able readiness. Since there is no other facility and institutional changes and requires
1996 NMT
with sufficient capacity, TA-55 is, in effect, the adaptability to meet institutional and
Science and
U.S. plutonium fabricator of last resort, a facil- public commitments.
Technology
ity that is likely to be required for the foresee- LANL already seeks to assure continuity
Assessment
able future. of top technical talent in its recruiting and
Review
In taking up its expanded role, LANL has mentoring activities, key mechanisms in so-
Committee.
joined with DOE in using the metaphor of cializing and training generations of able pro-
“stewardship” to focus on these responsibili- fessionals in the spirit of enterprise. But there
ties and public service. With regard to manag- are only meager analytical bases for achieving
ing nuclear materials, especially in the coming organizational qualities that address the chal-
era of regulatory transparency, the role of “in- lenge of constancy. What little that has been
stitutional steward” is quite extraordinary. To done suggests that these qualities require
the attentive public, “stewardship” is likely to steadfast political will and what one might
imply that LANL and DOE are claiming they call the “organizational infrastructure of
can assure highly reliable operations for many constancy.”
work and management generations, perhaps
for hundreds of years, in a manner that evokes
deep, sustained public trust and confidence.
6 Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Fall 1997
Political will is likely to be enhanced by These are as unusual and demanding a set
strong articulation of commitments by agency of institutional goals as ever to be proposed
leaders to unswerving adherence to the spirit for technical organizations and programs.
of the initial agreement as well as vigorous ex- Goals 1) and 3) above have rarely been sought,
ternal reinforcement from regulatory agencies authorized, or supported by sponsors in the
and public “watchdog groups.” The organiza- past, nor are they particularly honored by po- "Indeed,
tional infrastructure of constancy is less famil- litical, media, or economic leaders in our po-
the recent
iar and includes litical culture. Yet the multigenerational
extension
•administrative and technical capacities demands of these goals raise the issue of “in-
of LANL’s
to carry out constancy-assuring stitutional honor,” a topic almost absent from
activities reinforced by agency rewards organizational studies and broached only hesi- mission
for pursuing them; tantly in technical professional conversation. challenges
•adequate resources and activities to Our generation is, in effect, handing down our capacity
assure the transfer of technical and undeniable demands to the fourth and fifth
to maintain an
institutional knowledge from one work generations. Meeting these demands will be
organization’s
and management generation to the next; difficult, especially in view of the fact that the
operational
•analytical resources for future impact major benefits of nuclear deterrence have ac-
analyses; and crued to the present generation but with much balance and
•capacities to detect and remedy the early of their cost deferred to future generations. to success-
onset of likely failure related to Will these obligations requiring some of their fully navigate
processes that threaten the future, as generations’ best and brightest be readily
the turbulent
well as assurance of remediation if taken up by our descendants? Will it be an
waters of
failures actually occur. honorable and honored “taking up”? As the
national
Institutional constancy must be seen in political situation that bolstered the dedication
terms of the missions animating an institu- of national resources to nuclear stewardship politics."
tion—in the case of LANL and NMT—research attenuates with time, future generations with-
and development goals. The challenge in the out our frame of reference may find our “gift”
future will be to integrate R&D with excellence increasingly onerous. The conditions neces-
in specialty production, activities that some sary to nurture an honored institution within
observers believe to be intrinsically at odds. the society at large apply as well to according
The dimensions of this challenge are suggested honor to technical production activities and
by the objectives the U.S. seems to be pursu- research and development so that sustained,
ing, i.e., to manage nuclear materials in a man- high-quality technical operations may be
ner that 1) emphasizes a self-conscious spirit of ensured.
sustained institutional stewardship; 2) aims to In the context of LANL’s past, this discus-
be the best in the world, not only in the U.S.; sion may seem unduly alarming. After all,
and 3) equips technical and operational profes- LANL, under the benign oversight of the Uni-
sionals to demonstrate, via their interactions versity of California system, has repeatedly
with professional counterparts throughout the made unique and invaluable contributions to
world, that the U.S. retains an effective nuclear advance basic scientific knowledge and to
weapons deterrent capacity for the indefinite overcome a vigorous adversary. Couldn’t we
future. expect the same “world class” performance
in the new era? Perhaps, but to leave it there
misses the emerging public skepticism regard-
ing technical systems generally, a particularly
continued on next page
7
Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Actinide Research Quarterly
LANL Faces Institutional Challenges
in Its Nuclear Future (continued)
acerbic skepticism regarding the nuclear enter- It is possible, perhaps likely, that leaders
prise. It can be argued that those who are in Washington have neither the capacity nor
technically engaged in the various aspects of the full resolve to initiate the necessary stew-
this enterprise have not been particularly well ardship-enhancing changes. To the degree this
served by their governmental or commercial is so, developments in the relationships of
sponsors and promoters. Recent history sug- LANL with the external world and changes
gests failures of institutional competence, within the weapons programs themselves
policy determination, and public disclosure. must be initiated mostly from within the Lab,
The accumulation of these failures exhausts probably in the face of at least residual resis-
public patience, erodes confidence in technical tance from its overseers. But if stewardship-
professionals (and their overseers), and enhancing measures are broadly effective,
accretes layers of resentment harbored in the technical and institutional leaders will recover
social psyches of a distracted and anxious the confidence of able Americans. This is a
public. requisite to nurture a climate of understanding
While the technical parameters of “sci- and honor in which each generation assumes
ence-based stockpile stewardship” may be in the obligation of managing the burden of
the process of becoming clarified, operational nuclear weapons and materials in such a way
lineaments remain opaque and institutional that their successors in the “fourth generation”
imperatives illusive. This presents the current will inherit a system at least no more difficult
leadership not only with demanding technical to manage than the one they received.
obstacles, but with extraordinary institutional It will be a challenge. There is no credible
ones as well. The metaphor of stewardship is basis for confidently selecting out those orga-
apt and warranted. Offered in the face of his- nizational solutions that will be suitable for
torical residues and evolving conditions, that the future on the basis of short-term manage-
stewardship lays demanding charges upon rial, economic, or political considerations. In
current leadership and taxes our institutional effect, we could, in all good-hearted earnest-
capacities. It also taxes our abilities to frame ness, start out wrong, as history would surely
perspectives that acknowledge the political note.
strain intrinsic to maintaining those technical
capabilities that have been central to achieving
global dominance. Todd LaPorte
The ideas presented in this editorial are the
author's and do not necessarily represent the
opinion of Los Alamos National Laboratory, the
University of California, the Department of
Energy, or the U.S. government.
8 Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Fall 1997
Publications,
Presentations, and Reports
(April 1997–September 1997)
Journal Publications D. K. Veirs, S. J. Buelow, L. A. Le, and
J. H. Roberts, “Hydrothermal Processing of
M. P. Neu, S. D. Reilly, and W. Runde, “Plutonium Solubility and Actinide Contaminated Organic Wastes,”
Speciation to be Applied to the Separation of Hydrothermal Waste LA-UR-96-3796; M. Barr, G. Jarvinen,
Treatment Effluent,” Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings S. F. Marsh, and R. Bartsch, “Development
Series, II. Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XX, Volume 465, of Anion-Exchange Resins for Separations
in press. of Actinides,” LA-UR-96-3933; D. K. Ford,
R. Scott Lillard, and D. P. Butt, “Corrosion
H. T. Hawkins, B. E. Scheetz, and G. D. Guthrie, Jr., “Preparation of Study of Candidate APT Engineering Materi-
Monophasic (NZP) Radiophases: Potential Host Matrices for the Immo- als,” LA-UR-96-4078; and J. M. Berg,
bilization of Reprocessed Commercial High-Level Wastes,” Materials R. B. Vaughn, M. R. Cisneros, D. K. Veirs, and
Research Society Symposium Proceedings Series, II. Scientific Basis for C. A. Smith, “Optical Studies of the Stoichiom-
Nuclear Waste Management XX, Volume 465, W. J. Gray and I. R. Triay etry and Thermodynamics of Plutonium (IV)
eds., 387-394, Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA (1997). Nitrate Complexes in High Ionic Strength
Acidic Solutions,” LA-UR-96-4537.
M. D. Diener, C. A. Smith, and D. K. Veirs, “Anaerobic Preparation and
Solvent Free Separation of Uranium Endohedral Metallofullerenes,” The following papers were presented at the
J. Chem. of Materials, 9(#8), 1773–1777, (1997). ANS Topical Conference on Methods and
Applications of Radioanalytical Chemistry,
D. G. Kolman and J. R. Scully, “On the Requirement for a Sharp Notch Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, April 6–11, 1997:
or Precrack to Cause Environmentally Assisted Crack Initiation of Beta- K. W. Fife, “A Kinetic Study of Plutonium
Titanium Alloys Exposed to Aqueous Chloride Environments,” to be Dioxide Dissolution in Hydrochloric Acid
published in Effects of the Environment on the Initiation of Crack Growth, Using Iron(II) as an Electron Transfer Cata-
ASTM STP 1298, (W. A. Van der Sluys, R. S. Piascik, and R. Zawierucha, lyst”; S. L. Yarbro, S. B. Schreiber, E. A. Ortiz,
Eds., American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, PA and R. L. Ames, “Reducing Pu(IV) to Pu(III)
1997). with Hydroxylamine in Nitric Acid Solu-
tions”; G. D. Jarvinen, M. E. Barr, S. F. Marsh,
D. G. Kolman and J. R. Scully, “An Explanation for the pH and Potential and R. A. Bartsch, “Bifunctional Anion-
Dependency of b-Titanium Alloy EAC Initiation in Aqueous Chloride Exchange Resins for Improved Separations of
Environments Based on an Investigation of Crack Tip Electrode Kinet- Nuclear Materials,” LA-UR-96-3835; and
ics,” Metallurgical Transactions A, in press. D. K. Veirs, J. M. Berg, and C. A. Smith, “New
Spectroscopic Studies of Plutonium (IV)
D. G. Kolman and J. R. Scully, “Comparison of Anodic Current Tran- Nitrate Complex Formation in Solution and
sients Resulting from Film Rupture on a Dynamically Strained Meta- on Ion Exchange Resins.”
stable b-Titanium Electrode to Those Observed Following Fractured
Thin Film and Scratch Depassivation,” J. Electrochem. Soc., in review. The following papers were presented at the
21st Actinide Separations Conference,
Conference Presentations Charleston, SC, June 23–26, 1997:
J. A. McNeese, W. J. Griego, and E. Garcia,
The following papers were presented at the American Chemical Society “Pyrochemical Oxidation of Residue Salts”;
National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, April 13–17, 1997: U. F. Gallegos E. Garcia, J. A. McNeese, W. J. Griego, and
and M. A. Williamson, “Molten Salt Electrochemistry”; R. R. Salazar, V. R. Dole, “Demonstration of the Salt Distilla-
B. J. Griego, L. D. Schulte, S. D. McKee, W. B. Smith, M. J. Palmer, and tion Process”; V. R. Dole and E. Garcia,
V. A. Hatler, “Oxalate Precipitation of Pu(III) from Very Dilute HCl “Aqueous Dissolution of Oxidized Calcium
Solutions”; G. M. Purdy, G. D. Jarvinen, B. F. Smith, M. Cournoyer, Chloride DOR Residues”; A. J. Vargas,
and R. R. Gibson, “Polymer Filteration: An Emerging Technology for G. D. Bird, and E. Garcia, “In-Situ Chlorina-
Selective Metals Recovery” (Division of Chemical Technicians); tion of Plutonium Metal”; and S. B. Schreiber
J. L. Lugo, D. E. Wedman, and T. O. Nelson, “Electrochemical Decon- and S. L. Yarbro, “Impacts of the Waste
tamination of Actinide Processing Gloveboxes”; R. B. Vaughn, Isolation Pilot Plant Waste Acceptance
J. M. Berg, and M. R. Cisneros, “The Use of Absorption Spectroscopy Criteria on Transuranic Waste Handling.”
of Plutonium to Minimize Waste Streams”; L. A. Worl, D. D. Padilla,
9
Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory
The Actinide Research Quarterly
The following papers were presented at the W. J. Turner, R. Brown, and G. D. Rael, “Instru-
JOWOG 22 Meeting, Aldermaston Weapons mentation System to Implement Leak Test
Establishment, United Kingdom, June 11–13, Program,” 1997 IEEE Instrumentation &
1997: S. D. Owens, G. Bird, and A. Vargas, Measurement Technology Conference, Ottawa,
“Americium Extraction by In-Situ Chlorina- Canada, May 19–21, 1997.
tion” and S. D. Owens and T. E. Ricketts,
“Plutonium Metal Oxidation.” N. G. Pope and J. C. Higgins (Brookhaven
National Lab), “Human Factors Aspects of the
The following papers were presented at the Major Upgrade to the Control Systems at the
American Chemical Society National Meeting LANL Plutonium Facility,” Global Perspective
Nuclear Chemistry and Technology Division, of Human Factors in Power Generation, The
Las Vegas, NV, September 7-11, 1997: Power Engineering Society of IEEE, 1997 IEEE
D. K. Veirs, G. M. Rosenblatt, C. R. Heiple, and 6th Conference on Objectives, Orlando, FL, June
J. P. Baiardo, “The Use of Acoustic Resonance 8–12, 1997.
Spectroscopy to Detect Changes within Storage
Containers” and E. Garcia, J. A. McNeese, N. G. Pope and T. Donovan, “Lessons Learned
W. J. Griego, and V. R. Dole, “Demonstration from the TA-55 Operation Center Upgrade
of the Salt Distillation Process for Rocky Flats Project,” Conduct of Operations Training,
Salt Residues.” Nevada Test Site, April 2, 1997.
P. L. Wallace, “Crystal Chemistry Principles J. M. Macdonald, “Implementation of an
Applied to the X-ray Diffraction Identification Intranet for Industrial Control,” Industrial
of Metallurgical Phases,” 1997 Denver X-ray Society of America (ISA), Anaheim, CA,
Conference, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, October 1997.
August 5, 1997.
J. T. McFarlan, “Modifications to Vacuum
D. G. Kolman, D. K. Ford, T. O. Nelson, and Atmospheres MO-40-2 Dri-Train to Prevent
D. P. Butt, “General and Localized Corrosion Pressure Changes in Plutonium Processing,”
Behavior of 304 Stainless Steel Exposed to American Glovebox Society Conference,
Room and High Temperature Nitric Acid/ Denver, CO, July 21–24, 1997.
Halide Solutions,” NACE 97 (National Associa-
tion of Corrosion Engineers), Symposium on R. L. Long (NMSU) and S. L. Yarbro, “Applica-
Corrosion Issues in Liquid Radioactive Waste tions of a New Interfacial Area Transport
Storage, New Orleans, LA, March 9–14, 1997. Equation,” Mixing XV Conference,
Williamsburg, VA, June 23–27, 1997.
J. R. Hurd, G. W. Veazey, T. H. Prettyman,
G. A. Sheppard, T. E. Ricketts, and P. C. Stark, B. F. Smith, T. W. Robison, G. D.
R. K. Nakaoka, “Performance of NDA Tech- Jarvinen, M. R. Lin, J. E. Anderson, “Solid-State
niques on a Vitrified Waste Form,” 38th Europium Luminescence for the Investigation
Annual Meeting of the Institute of Nuclear of Metal-Binding to Water-Soluble Chelating
Materials Management, Phoenix, Arizona, July Polymers,” MARK IV Conference, April 6–11,
20–24, 1997. 1997, Honolulu, HI.
R. C. Hagan, J. Gladson, and T. Wickland
(Nuclear Technology Technology, Inc.),
“Containers for Short-Term Storage of Nuclear
Materials at the Los Alamos Plutonium Facil-
ity,” American Nuclear Society 1997 Annual
Meeting, Orlando, Florida, June 1–5, 1997.
10 Nuclear Materials Technology Division/Los Alamos National Laboratory