Reaction Between Plutonium and Deuterium PDF Download

Author: David F. Bowersox
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Chemical kinetics
Languages : en
Pages : 12

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Languages : en
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The effects of pressure and temperature upon the rate and mechanism of the reaction between plutonium and deuterium have been studied for temperatures to 400°C at pressures from 1 to 15 kPa. The rate was determined by measuring the weight changes of plutonium disks as the reaction proceeded. Below 200°C the reaction product spalled to expose fresh metal. The equation R = k/sub T/AP°.6 fits the data, where the rate R is the milliequivalents of deuterium reacting per hour, A is the geometrical surface area, P is the deuterium pressure, and k/sub T/ is the velocity constant at temperature T. The energy of activation for the spalling reaction is 5.9 kcal . mol−1 for PuD2.--. Between 250 and 400°C the product adhered to the parent metal to form a growing layer. The equation R = k/sub T/*AP/.delta. W fits the rate data, where R, A, and P are defined above, .delta. W is the measured weight change in milliequivalents of deuterium, and k/sub T/* is the velocity constant at temperature T.

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Category :
Languages : en
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Plutonium hydride has many practical and experimental purposes. The reaction of plutonium and hydrogen has interesting characteristics, which will be explored in the following analysis. Plutonium is a radioactive actinide metal that emits alpha particles. When plutonium metal is exposed to air, the plutonium oxides and hydrides, and the volume increases. PuH2 and Pu2O3 are the products. Hydrogen is a catalyst for plutonium's corrosion in air. The reaction can take place at room temperature because it is fairly insensitive to temperature. Plutonium hydride, or PuH2, is black and metallic. After PuH2 is formed, it quickly flakes off and burns. The reaction of hydrogen and plutonium is described as pyrophoric because the product will spontaneously ignite when oxygen is present. This tendency must be considered in the storage of metal plutonium. The reaction is characterized as reversible and nonstoichiometric. The reaction goes as such: Pu + H2 → PuH2. When PuH2 is formed, the hydrogen/plutonium ratio is between 2 and 2.75 (approximately). As more hydrogen is added to the system, the ratio increases. When the ratio exceeds 2.75, PuH3 begins to form along with PuH2. Once the ratio surpasses 2.9, only PuH3 remains. The volume of the plutonium sample increases because of the added hydrogen and the change in crystal structure which the sample undergoes. As more hydrogen is added to a system of metal plutonium, the crystal structure evolves. Plutonium has a crystal structure classified as monoclinic. A monoclinic crystal structure appears to be a rectangular prism. When plutonium reacts with hydrogen, the product PuH2, becomes a fluorite structure. It can also be described as a face centered cubic structure. PuH3 forms a hexagonal crystal structure. As plutonium evolves from metal plutonium to plutonium hydride to plutonium trihydride, the crystal structure evolves from monoclinic to fluorite to hexagonal. This change in crystal structure as a result of adding hydrogen is a shared characteristic with other actinide elements. Americium is isostructural with plutonium because they both form cubic dihyrides and hexagonal trihydrides. Reacting hydrogen with plutonium has the practical application of separating plutonium from other materials that don't react as well with hydrogen. When plutonium is placed in a chamber where there is very little oxygen, it can react with hydrogen without igniting. The hydrogen plutonium reaction can then be reversed, thus regaining the separated plutonium. Another application of this reaction is that it can be used to predict how plutonium reacts with other substances. Deuterium and tritium are two isotopes of hydrogen that are of interest. They are known to react likewise to hydrogen because they have similar properties. The reaction of plutonium and isotopes of hydrogen can prove to be very informative.

Author: National Academy of Sciences
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309051452
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 432

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Within the next decade, many thousands of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons are slated to be retired as a result of nuclear arms reduction treaties and unilateral pledges. Hundreds of tons of plutonium and highly enriched uranium will no longer be needed for weapons purposes and will pose urgent challenges to international security. This is the supporting volume to a study by the Committee on International Security and Arms Control which dealt with all phases of the management and disposition of these materials. This technical study concentrates on the option for the disposition of plutonium, looking in detail at the different types of reactors in which weapons plutonium could be burned and at the vitrification of plutonium, and comparing them using economic, security and environmental criteria.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309255716
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 424

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In the late 1980s, the National Cancer Institute initiated an investigation of cancer risks in populations near 52 commercial nuclear power plants and 10 Department of Energy nuclear facilities (including research and nuclear weapons production facilities and one reprocessing plant) in the United States. The results of the NCI investigation were used a primary resource for communicating with the public about the cancer risks near the nuclear facilities. However, this study is now over 20 years old. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested that the National Academy of Sciences provide an updated assessment of cancer risks in populations near USNRC-licensed nuclear facilities that utilize or process uranium for the production of electricity. Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1 focuses on identifying scientifically sound approaches for carrying out an assessment of cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility, judgments about the strengths and weaknesses of various statistical power, ability to assess potential confounding factors, possible biases, and required effort. The results from this Phase 1 study will be used to inform the design of cancer risk assessment, which will be carried out in Phase 2. This report is beneficial for the general public, communities near nuclear facilities, stakeholders, healthcare providers, policy makers, state and local officials, community leaders, and the media.

Author: John Emsley
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780198503408
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 556

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A readable, informative, fascinating entry on each one of the 100-odd chemical elements, arranged alphabetically from actinium to zirconium. Each entry comprises an explanation of where the element's name comes from, followed by Body element (the role it plays in living things), Element ofhistory (how and when it was discovered), Economic element (what it is used for), Environmental element (where it occurs, how much), Chemical element (facts, figures and narrative), and Element of surprise (an amazing, little-known fact about it). A wonderful 'dipping into' source for the familyreference shelf and for students.

Author: Keith M. Parsons
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107047323
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 251

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A narrative history of the nuclear tests conducted by the United States in the Marshall Islands from 1946 to 1958.

Author: OpenStax
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781680920451
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 622

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University Physics is a three-volume collection that meets the scope and sequence requirements for two- and three-semester calculus-based physics courses. Volume 1 covers mechanics, sound, oscillations, and waves. Volume 2 covers thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, and Volume 3 covers optics and modern physics. This textbook emphasizes connections between between theory and application, making physics concepts interesting and accessible to students while maintaining the mathematical rigor inherent in the subject. Frequent, strong examples focus on how to approach a problem, how to work with the equations, and how to check and generalize the result. The text and images in this textbook are grayscale.

Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309181216
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 266

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In this study, CISAC tackles the technical dimensions of a longstanding controversy: To what extent could existing and plausibly attainable measures for transparency and monitoring make possible the verification of all nuclear weaponsâ€"strategic and nonstrategic, deployed and nondeployedâ€"plus the nuclear-explosive components and materials that are their essential ingredients? The committee's assessment of the technical and organizational possibilities suggests a more optimistic conclusion than most of those concerned with these issues might have expected.

Author: Graham T. Allison
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 9780262510882
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 310

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Nuclear materials have never been more plentiful or more accessible to rogue states and terrorists. In this study, the authors analyze the consequences of such nuclear leakage for United States national security and argue that it is possibly the nation's h