Isotope Correlations for Alpha Specific Activity and Isotopic Composition of Plutonium

A novel approach for the determination of 238Pu by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) using interfering element correction methodology

“…(i) NIST-SRM 947 and (ii) a synthetic mixture prepared by mixing solutions of enriched 238 Pu and 239 Pu, were used to demonstrate the applicability of the approach and for validation of the TIMS methodology. The NIST-SRM-947 Pu sample was purified from 241 Am using anion-exchange separation procedure in HNO 3 medium [6]. Approximately known amounts of the isotopic reference material of U, NIST SRM-930, containing about 93 atom% of 235 U were added to purified NIST-SRM-947 Pu sample and synthetic mixture prior to carrying out TIMS analysis.…”

“…Accurate data on 238 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratio is important for various applications in nuclear science and technology [4][5][6][7]. These include the development of isotope correlations, refinement of computer codes in reactor physics calculations to calculate the build-up of different Pu isotopes, the use of 238 Pu as a tracer (spike) in isotope dilution alpha spectrometry and the possibility of employing 238 Pu as a tracer (spike) in isotope dilution thermal ionization mass spectrometry (ID-TIMS), etc.…”

Determination of 241Pu/239Pu atom ratio in pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR)-Pu samples using liquid scintillation counting

“…It may be mentioned that atom ratios of other Pu isotopes can be obtained from the previously developed correlations [3]. It is essential to confirm that the efficiency values of ␣ as well as ␤ counting by LSC have not changed after establishing the correlation.…”

“…We have developed and reported isotope correlations [1][2][3] for the determination of atom ratios of Pu isotopes, using the data obtained by alpha spectrometry and by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. With these correlations, the atom ratios of different Pu isotopes, except for the one involving 241 Pu, could be obtained with reasonable accuracy (2-5%).…”

Isotopic correlation for 242Pu composition prediction: Multivariate regresssion approach

“…However, different isotope correlations are reported in literature for the determination of 242 Pu in Pu samples using other Pu isotopes abundances. These correlations have been developed based on Pu IC data obtained by different methods such as TIMS, α-S, liquid scintillation counting, neutron coincidence counting (Aggarwal et al, 1998;Aggarwal, 2001, 2007;Alamelu et al, 2010;Bignan et al,1998;De Regge and Bodden, 1978;Joe et al, 2010;Kumar et al, 2008;Li et al,1991aLi et al, , 1991bLi et al, , 1997Nishida et al,1992;Sampson et al,1980;Schubert and Ottmar, 1987;Swinhoe et al, 2010,) etc. Depending on the different reactor burn-ups, these correlations are also different Aggarwal, 2001, 2007;Alamelu et al, 2010;Bignan et al, 1998).…”