Abstract: Disclosed is a method of monitoring physical and chemical changes in a host material which passes from a liquid state to a solid state. A waveguide is embedded in the host material while it is in the liquid or uncured state, the waveguide extending outside of the host material. A sound wave is sent through the waveguide and is monitored after it has passed through the host material. An article is also disclosed of a container having a liquid sealing exit means for waveguide, a waveguide which passes through the liquid sealing exit means into the container, a solidifiable liquid in the container at a level above the liquid sealing exit means, means outside the container for sending an acoustic wave through the waveguide into the container, and means outside the container for monitoring the acoustic wave after it has passed through said waveguide into the container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composite of a polyaramid woven fabric and a resin. The resin contains water, a water-based emulsion of an epoxy selected from the group consisting of diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol A, diglycidyl ethers of bisphenol F, novolacs, and mixtures thereof, water-compatible curing agents for the emulsion, and a water-compatible catalyst for the emulsion. The emulsion can be cured to the B-stage to form a prepreg and prepregs can be stacked with copper sheets and heated and pressed to form a laminate for use in making a printed wiring board.

Abstract: A method for decontaminating metal surfaces having radioactive oxide deposits thereon is disclosed which comprises preparing a decontamination solution having a pH of about 1.5 to about 4 comprising water, about 0.02 to about 0.5% of a water soluble organic acid which has an equilibrium constant in a complex with ferric ion of at least about 10.sup.9 and which is capable of producing a pH of about 2 to about 3 in water, and about 0.01 to about 0.4% of a chelate in free acid form which has an equilibrium constant in a complex with ferric ion of about 10.sup.15 to about 10.sup.19 and which is at least 0.4% soluble at 40.degree. C. in water having a pH of about 2 to about 3. An apparatus for performing the above method is disclosed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for separating an isotope of an element from other isotopes of the element in a compound, where the compound is deposited as a monolayer on small glass beads, and the coated beads entrained in a carrier gas containing a scavenger gas. The entrained, coated beads are exposed to light from a laser that excites the one isotopic compound and causes reaction thereof with the scavenger gas, to form a reaction product, while the other isotopic compounds remain stable. The other isotopic compounds are then separated from the reaction product and the reaction product removed from the beads to provide the desired isotope.

Abstract: A solvent extraction-exchange process for the enrichment of either the zirconium 90 isotope component or the zirconium 91-96 isotope component of an aqueous feed stream containing both components is described. An aqueous feed stream of zirconium complexes such as that from a thiocyanate separation process is contacted with an organic solvent to preferentially extract one of the isotope components, resulting in an aqueous raffinate enriched in the other isotope component. The organic phase is further contacted with an aqueous phase enriched in said one isotope component to exchange the other isotope component from the organic phase with the one isotope component in the aqueous phase and produce a further enriched organic phase. The one isotope component in the further enriched organic phase is then stripped with an aqueous acidic strip medium, and zirconium enriched in said one isotope component separated therefrom.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of increasing the operating cell voltage of a solid oxide electrochemical cell having metal electrode particles in contact with an oxygen-transporting ceramic electrolyte. The metal electrode is heated with the cell, and oxygen is passed through the oxygen-transporting ceramic electrolyte to the surface of the metal electrode particles so that the metal electrode particles are oxidized to form a metal oxide layer between the metal electrode particles and the electrolyte. The metal oxide layer is then reduced to form porous metal between the metal electrode particles and the ceramic electrolyte.

Abstract: Disclosed is an epoxy rubber made by reacting about 5 to about 50% of an epoxy terminated acrylonitrilebutadiene copolymer with about 50 to about 95% of a solid epoxy resin. A coating powder is prepared with about 30 to about 70% of a solid epoxy resin, about 2 to about 25% of the epoxy rubber, about 5 to about 25% of an anhydride curing agent, about 5 to about 40% mica filler, and about 10 to about 50% glass fiber. Electrical apparatus, such as coils made of served wire, can be coated with the powder by heating the apparatus above the melting point of the powder and dipping it in the fluidized powder, followed by curing the melted powder on the apparatus.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reducing the charging tendency in a flowing non-aqueous liquid which has a dielectric constant of less than about 50, by passing the liquid through an ion exchange resin charged with a weakly polar active group. Also disclosed is a combination of a transformer cooled by flowing organic insulating liquid and an anionic ion exchange resin and means for passing the liquid through the resin.

Abstract: Disclosed is a solid solution with a perovskite-like crystal structure having the general formulaLa.sub.1-x-w (M.sub.L).sub.x (Ce).sub.w (M.sub.S1).sub.1-y (M.sub.S2).sub.y O.sub.3where M.sub.L is Ca, Sr, Ba, or mixtures thereof, M.sub.S1 is Mn, Cr, or mixtures thereof and M.sub.S2 is Ni, Fe, Co, Ti, Al, In, Sn, Mg, Y, Nb, Ta, or mixtures thereof, w is about 0.05 to about 0.25, x+w is about 0.1 to about 0.7, and y is 0 to about 0.5. In the formula, M.sub.L is preferably Ca, w is preferably 0.1 to 0.2, x+w is preferably 0.4 to 0.7, and y is preferably 0. The solid solution can be used in an electrochemical cell where it more closely matches the thermal expansion characteristics of the support tube and electrolyte of the cell.

Abstract: A method of applying a burnable absorber coating on a nuclear fuel pellet comprising the step of exposing the nuclear fuel pellet to a gas stream of boron trichloride and anhydrous ammonia at a temperature of from about 600.degree.-800.degree. C. A coating of boron nitride is formed as a reaction product of boron trichloride with anhydrous ammonia on the fuel pellet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polybutadiene containing resin system which is curable at room temperature by the addition of copper ethylacetoacetate. The resin system consists of about 5 to about 25% polybutadiene, about 55 to about 90% dicyclopentadiene acrylate, about 5 to about 20% of a monomer having 2 to 4 unsaturated groups selected from vinylic, acrylic, and mixtures thereof, about 0.25 to about 3% free radical initiator, and about 0.1 to about 0.8% of a coaccelerator. Also disclosed is a method of curing a resin system and various products made therewith.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coil of insulated wire impregnated with a solventless vacuum pressure impregnated resin. The resin contains polybutadiene, at least 15% of which is 1,2-polybutadiene, about 10 about 150 phr dicyclopentadiene acrylate, about 0.005 to about 0.75 phr of a free radial polymerization inhibitor, about 0.05 to about 2.5 phr of a free radial polymerization initiator, and up to about 2.0 phr of a coupling agent. An optional component is about 1 to about 80 phr of an aromatic monomer having 1 to 2 vinyl groups. Also disclosed is a method of making a vacuum pressure impregnated coil by placing a coil of insulated wire in a partial vacuum, impregnating the coil with the resin, applying pressure to the resin to force it into the interstices of the coil, and curing the resin by heating it at about 100.degree. to about 180.degree. C. for about 2 to about 16 hours.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making an insulated wire, the insulation of which can be easily removed from at least one location. The wire is covered at the desired location with a foil which does not adhere to the wire. The entire wire and foil are then covered with insulation. The insulation can be easily stripped from the wire at the location of the foil by cutting into the insulation at that location and peeling it off. Also disclosed is an insulated wire made by this method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for separating and recovering boric acid from water containing solids which include boric acid and radionuclides. In the first step, the water is separated from the solids by evaporation of the water at a temperature under 130.degree. F. In the second step, an alcohol selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, and mixtures thereof is added to the remaining solids in the amount of at least 1.4 times that stoichiometrically required to react with the boric acid to form boron alkoxide and water to about 100 mole % in excess of stoichiometric. In the third step, the boron alkoxide is separated from the remaining solids by evaporation of the boron alkoxide. In the fourth step, water is added to the volatilized boron alkoxide to form boric acid and an alcohol. And finally, the alcohol is separated from the boric acid by evaporating the alcohol.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of decontaminating metal surfaces having a radioactive coating thereon where the coating contains metal ions. An aqueous decontamination solution containing at least one chelate is passed over the coating to solubilize the metals. The decontamination solution is then passed through a porous direct current electrode to reduce the metal ions in the solution and the decontamination solution is again passed over the coating. Also disclosed is an apparatus for decontaiminating metal surfaces coated with radioactive substances. The apparatus consists of a container means for holding an aqueous decontamination solution where the solution contains a chelate, a porous cathode through which the aqueous decontamination solution is passed, and means for circulating the aqueous decontamination solution between the container means, the porous cathode, and the metal surfaces.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reversibly immobilizing sulfate ash at least about 20% of which is sulfates of transuranic elements. The ash is mixed with a metal which can be aluminum, cerium, samarium, europium, or a mixture thereof, in amounts sufficient to form an alloy with the transuranic elements, plus an additional amount to reduce the transuranic element sulfates to elemental form. Also added to the ash is a fluxing agent in an amount sufficient to lower the percentage of the transuranic element sulfates to about 1% to about 10%. The mixture of the ash, metal, and fluxing agent is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the fluxing agent and the metal. The mixture is then cooled and the alloy is separated from the remainder of the mixture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of comminuting irradiated ferritic steel by placing the steel in a solution of a compound selected from the group consisting of sulfamic acid, bisulfate, and mixtures thereof. The ferritic steel is used as cladding on nuclear fuel rods or other irradiated components.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for encapsulating in cement a boric acid slurry which is at least about 30% boric acid. To the sulrry is added about 3.5 to about 4.5% dispersing agent, about 0.02 to about 0.03 ml/g of a cement retarder, up to about 0.4% of a hardener, and sufficient cement to bring the weight ratio of water to cement to about 0.4 to about 0.6. Also disclosed is a cement composition produced by said method.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for stabilizing glass which contains nuclear waste by coating the glass with synthetic monazite. The synthetic monazite has a composition of about 30 to about 35% Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3, about 31 to about 36% La.sub.2 O.sub.3, about 27 to about 35% P.sub.2 O.sub.5, and about 2 to about 5% Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3, where the percentage of La.sub.2 O.sub.3 is about 0.5 to about 1.5 percentage points greater than the percentage of Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3. The coating can be applied by detonation gun or by chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapor deposition can be accomplished by heating halides of La, Ce, Nd, and P or PO and bringing the vapors by carrier gas to the glass where they are contacted by an oxidizing gas such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, steam, or air.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for making a cinder aggregate from neutralized PUREX waste. The PUREX waste is concentrated to about 30 to about 40 percent solids and a colloid of such de-alcoholated alkoxides of silicon, boron, and aluminum are added to the PUREX waste as are necessary to produce a mixture containing about 0.0001 to about 1 percent aluminum hydroxide, about 5 to about 15 percent silica, and about 1 to about 3 percent boric oxide. The resulting mixture is heated to about 400 to about 700.degree. C. which produces a cinder. The cinder will be transported to a vitrification center where it can be disintegrated in ammonium hydroxide and the nuclear waste can be permanently encapsulated in glass.