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Abstract
Absorption spectroscopic properties for various Pu oxidation states in nitric and hydrochloric acid solutions were investigated with UV-Visible spectrophotometry. As a result, it was confirmed that the intensities of the major absorption peaks had a tendency to decrease for Pu(III), Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) in HCl and HNO3 media, and the major peak positions were shifted to longer or shorter wavelengths depending on the complexforming abilities of Pu(III), Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) with the chloride or nitrate ion with increasing acid concentrations. The values of the wavelength and the molar absorptivity for the principal peaks of Pu(III), Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) in NHO3 and HCl solutions were similar to those reported in other works. The values of the molar absorptivity for the principal peaks of Pu(III), Pu(IV) and Pu(VI) in the HNO3 solution were a little higher than those in the HCl solution.
Abstract
Retention of U(VI) by laumontite, a fracture-filling material of granite was investigated by conducting dynamic and batch sorption experiments in a glove-box using a granite core with a natural fracture. The hydrodynamic properties of the granite core were obtained from the elution curve of a non-sorbing tracer, Br−. The elution curve of U(VI) showed a similar behavior to Br−. This reveals that the retention of U(VI) by the fracture-filling material was not significant when migrating through the fracture at a given condition. From the dynamic sorption experiment, the retardation factor R a and the distribution coefficient K a of U(VI) were obtained as about 2.9 and 0.16 cm, respectively. The distribution coefficient (K d ) of U(VI) onto laumontite obtained by conducting a batch sorption experiment resulted in a small value of 2.3±0.5 mL/g. This low K d value agreed with the result of the dynamic sorption experiment. For the distribution of uranium on the granite surface investigated by an X-ray image mapping, the fracture region filled with laumontite showed a relatively lower content of uranium compared to the surrounding granite surface. Thus, the low retention of U(VI) by the fracture-filling material can be explained by following two mechanisms. One is that U(VI) exists as anionic uranyl hydroxides or uranyl carbonates at a given groundwater condition and the other is the remarkably low sorption capacity of the laumontite for U(VI).
Some examples are given of the application of thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, thermomechanical analysis, torsional braid analysis, stress relaxometry and dynamic viscoelastometry to the study of cross-linked polymer systems. The information derived by the use of each technique is outlined and the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods are compared.
Abstract
A (D3C)2O (d6-acetone) target was irradiated with semi-monoenergetic neutrons generated from 9Be(p,n)9B reaction with 20 MeV protons to convert 13C and oxygen nuclides in the target into 14C. With both liquid scintillation counting (LSC) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) we measured the (D3C)2O (d6-acetone) liquid targets, which were combustible and easy to afford CO2 for the AMS measurements. The 14C yield measured by the LSC method turned out to be 80 times larger than that by the AMS method. This large discrepancy may be attributed to the loss of 14C atoms during the sample pretreatment in the AMS method such as combustion and cryogenic trapping of CO2. It means that 14C newly produced by nuclear reactions can exist in various chemical forms, i.e., C3D6O, CO, CO2, hydrocarbons, etc., and a simple sample pretreatment right after production can cause serious isotopic fractionation. Therefore, using the AMS method, extreme caution in sample pretreatment should be exercised when the 14C yield produced immediately by nuclear reaction is measured.
Abstract
The thermochemical decomposition of agricultural by-product corn cob impregnated with ZnCl2, as a precursor material for producing the activated carbons, was investigated by thermogravimetric (TG) analysis at the heating rate of 5 and 10°C min–1 under a controlled atmosphere of nitrogen (60 ml min–1). The appearance of a peak in the differential thermogravimetric plot (DTG) in the temperature range of 400–600°C is significantly related to the extent of impregnation. The DTG curve of the sample impregnated with the optimal impregnation ratio of 175% (i.e., the ratio of ZnCl2 mass of 87.5 g in the 200 cm3 of water to corn cobmass of 50 g), which yields an optimal BET surface area of the activated carbon and displays a DTG peak at about 500°C. This may be partially due to the intense chemical activation and results in the formation of a porous structure in the activated solid residue. This observation is also in close agreement with previous results at optimal pyrolysis temperatures of 500°C and with similar experimental conditions. In order to support the results in the TG-DTG analysis, the development of pore structure of the resulting activated carbons thus obtained by previous studies was also examined and explained using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Abstract
In petrochemistry, dicumyl peroxide (DCPO) is used in various resins for improving physical properties, which was produced by cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) with oxidization reaction, redox reaction, and dehydration reaction. The reactant, CHP, is a typical organic hydroperoxide and has been intrinsically unstable and reactive due to its bivalent -O-O- structure which can be broken readily with bond-dissociation energy. This sequence on sensitive study aimed at the thermal hazard evaluation for the reactive and incompatible characteristics of CHP mixed with various inorganic alkaline solutions. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and vent sizing package 2 (VSP2) were used to analyze the thermal hazards and runaway reaction of redox system, such as decomposition of CHP in cumene solution and CHP react with inorganic alkaline solutions, exothermic onset temperature, peak power, heat of decomposition of dynamic scanning tests, adiabatic self-heating rate, pressure rise rate, maximum temperature, maximum pressure of reaction system, etc. The results of the tests have proven helpful in establishing safe handling, storage, transportation, and disposal guidelines.
Abstract
Measurement of 3H, 14C, 32P, 35S, 125I, and 131I in radioisotope (RI) waste materials such as the vials, pipette tips, tubes, syringes, and paper generated from the industrial, medical, educational, and research organizations were conducted by a wet oxidation method. Counts were obtained by a liquid scintillation counter for 3H, 14C, and 32P; a gas proportional counter for 35S; a low energy photon spectroscopy for 125I; and an HPGe detector for 131I. After the treatment of approximately 20 g of the sample, the counting value was determined to obtain a minimum detectable activity (MDA) of approximately 1 × 10−3 ~ 5 × 10−2 Bq/g. The specific activities of shor-half-life RIs (32P, 35S, 125I, and 131I) were not detectable and/or resulted in a low value (<1 Bq/g). The waste containing 3H and 14C was observed to have the specific activities in the range of 10−2–105 and 10−2–104 Bq/g, respectively.
Abstract
We have measured the cross sections of the 16O(n,t) reactions above 18.1 up to 33.1 MeV in an neutron activation method. H2O (water) as an 16O target was irradiated with semi-monoenergetic neutrons generated from the 9Be(p,n)9B reaction with 25–35 MeV protons. The neutron flux was obtained with the aid of previous study by Uwamino et al. (Nucl Instr Methods A 271:546, 1988). The tritium activities were measured by using the liquid scintillation counting (LSC) method. The present value for the cross section of 16O(n,t) reaction agrees with previous values measured by using the same LSC method at similar neutron energy ranging from 18.1 up to 33.1 MeV.
Abstract
A study on the precipitation of uranium by oxalic acid was carried out in a multicomponent solution. The precipitation method is usually applied to the treatment of radioactive waste and the recovery of uranium from a uranium-scrap contaminated with impurities. In these cases, the problem is how to increase the precipitation yield of target element and to prevent impurities from coprecipitation. The multicomponent solution in the present experiment was prepared by dissolving U, Nd, Cs and Sr in nitric acid. The effects of concentrations of oxalic acid and ascorbic acid on the precipitation yield and purity of uranium were observed. As results of the study, the maximum precipitation yield of uranium is revealed to be about 96.5% and the relative precipitation ratio of Nd, Cs and Sr versus uranium are discussed at the condition of the maximum precipitation yield of uranium, respectively.
Abstract
Rapid, in situ measurements were used for quantitative monitoring of gaseous fission products around the nuclear power stations in Taiwan. A portable high-resolution germanium detector with portable multichannel analyzer was used in the field monitoring work. The detecting unit was calibrated using activated Ar, Kr, and Xe isotopes dispersed in a large chamber to obtain absolute efficiency curve in terms of γ-counts per m3 versus gamma-ray energy. The calibrated detecting unit was brought to the nuclear power plants for in situ monitoring for both normal operation and nuclear accidental exercise. In a typical four-hour measurement, the detection limits for most Kr and Xe fission product isotopes were 0.0028%≈0.98% of the derived air concentration (DAC) imposed by the local authority. The dose rate caused by gaseous radioisotopes released from nuclear power stations and dispersed to the surroundings can be quantitatively monitored in a short period using this portable unit.