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Optimization of a dried residue specimen preparation method for quantifying analytes in plutonium metal using WDXRF

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2012

Christopher G. Worley  and
Lisa P. Colletti
Christopher G. Worley
Affiliation:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
Lisa P. Colletti
Affiliation:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
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Abstract

A novel method for preparing thin films was investigated for quantifying gallium and iron in plutonium solutions using WDXRF. This technique was developed to eliminate the potential for radioactive liquid to leak into the spectrometer, decrease specimen preparation time, and minimize waste. Samples were cast in μL quantities onto Kapton, and a surfactant was added to disperse the solution uniformly across the Kapton. After drying the specimens, they were sealed in a cell for analysis. Results to date indicate the method can provide a relative precision of ∼0.5% for gallium and ∼2% for iron, which is more than sufficient for routine sample analyses.

Keywords

WDXRFplutoniumdried residuethin film
Type
X-Ray Fluorescence
Information
Powder Diffraction , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , June 2007 , pp. 152 - 155
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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