Characterization of uranium isotopic abundances in depleted uranium metal assay standard 115

Mathew K. J., Singleton G. L., Essex R. M., Hasozbek A., Orlowicz G., Soriano M.

JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY, vol.296, no.1, pp.435-440, 2013 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 296 Issue: 1
  • Publication Date: 2013
  • Doi Number: 10.1007/s10967-012-2060-z
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.435-440
  • Keywords: Depleted uranium, Certified reference materials, Thermal ionization mass spectrometry, Isotope-amount ratios
  • Dokuz Eylül University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Certified reference material (CRM) 115, Uranium (Depleted) Metal (Uranium Assay Standard), was analyzed using a TRITON Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer to characterize the uranium isotope-amount ratios. The certified U-235/U-238 "major" isotope-amount ratio of 0.0020337 (12) in CRM 115 was determined using the total evaporation (TE) and the modified total evaporation (MTE) analytical techniques. In the MTE method, the total evaporation process is interrupted on a regular basis to allow correction of background from peak tailing, internal calibration of the secondary electron multiplier detector versus the Faraday cups, peak-centering, and ion source re-focusing. For the "minor" U-234/U-238 and U-236/U-238 isotope-amount ratio measurements using MTE, precision and accuracy comparable to conventional analyses are achieved, without compromising the quality of the U-235/U-238 isotope-amount ratios. Characterized values of the U-234/U-238 and U-236/U-238 isotope-amount ratios in CRM 115 are 0.000007545 (10) and 0.000032213 (84), respectively. The U-233/U-238 isotope-amount ratio in CRM 115 is estimated to be < 5 x 10(-9). The homogeneity of the CRM 115 materials is established through the absence of any statistically significant unit-to-unit variation in the uranium isotope-amount ratios. The measurements leading to the certification of uranium isotope-amount ratios are discussed.