Abstract
The precise analysis of sub-gram quantities of actinide materials for regulatory and specification requirements currently relies on destructive, wet chemistry methodologies. We report a high-resolution gamma spectrometry approach. Actinide samples were consistently produced in containment to a precise geometry. This allows analysis on actinide materials outside of gloveboxes, which has considerable advantages. The main challenge of the analysis is the precise assay of 240Pu to which we demonstrate approaches. The results show that despite not meeting the precision of other benchmark techniques, the approach is promising as a parallel, rapid, low cost methodology for sample analysis.
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AWE plc is thanked for support in funding this research. Lav Tandon and Jung Ho Rim are thanked for their time and expertise reviewing the manuscript and giving expertise on the experimental design.
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Higginson, M., Dawkins, B., Shaw, T. et al. Development of assay, isotopic and trace actinide measurements on solid plutonium and uranium samples by high resolution gamma spectrometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 330, 901–911 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08043-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-021-08043-w