Abstract: Method and apparatus for exciting particles in an environment in which a selected isotope, of broadened spectral absorption bandwidth, is exposed to laser radiation having a frequency bandwidth substantially narrower than the spectral width. The laser radiation is frequency swept entirely across the broadened spectral width of the absorption band of the selected isotope type particles to provide spectral matching with substantially all of these particles. A laser system is provided having the capability of sweeping a narrow spectral emission entirely across a broadened spectral absorption band.

Abstract: A process for the selective removal of arsenical material in the course of a process for the hot oxidizing attack on a uraniferous and/or molybdeniferous ore containing arsenical materials, comprising attacking said ore with an aqueous liquor of sodium or potassium carbonate and/or bicarbonate, said attack operation being carried out under conditions with respect to levels of concentration, temperatures and pressures which cause solubilization of the uranium and/or molybdenum and the arsenic present in the ore, then collecting a suspension of a solid phase in a liquid phase, and finally, separating said phases, wherein the arsenic which is solubilized in the attack operation is extracted in the form of magnesium arsenate by treating the material containing the arsenic with a magnesium compound.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for making a glass block containing dioactive fission products in a metal vessel. The method includes the steps of placing the radioactive glass melt in the metal vessel and cooling the same therein. To minimize the formation of fissures in the glass block which is formed, the inner wall surfaces of the metal vessel are coated with a carbon material. The metal vessel is then placed in a thermally-insulating receptacle. The metal vessel is then filled with a radioactive glass melt emanating from a glass melting furnace and, after the filling step, is cooled slowly in the heat insulating receptacle. A container assembly for use in performing the method of the invention is also disclosed.

Abstract: Charged-particles in the 45-15 MeV energy range incident upon isotopically enriched xenon-124 gas in a gas-target assembly cause nuclear reactions which yield radioactive xenon-123. The xenon-123, decaying either in the target assembly or in a decay vessel removed from the target assembly, yields iodine-123 with very low levels of radioactive contaminants.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus are, herein, disclosed for producing microspheres of fissile and/or fertile materials with a high degree of sphericity from a feed solution starter containing at least one metal salt selected from among thorium, uranium and plutonium by using as a gelling medium an organic solvent that has a higher density and a greater interfacial tension with water than the feed solution and which is capable of dissolving ammonia.

Abstract: Micro-capsules are prepared by dispersing a composition comprising a hydrophobic acrylate or methacrylate monomer or oligomer capable of polymerization upon exposure to ultraviolet light, a photosensitizer, and a UV screening agent in water containing a dispersant to form a colloidal dispersion, and exposing the dispersion to UV light to cause the colloidal particles to cure only at their surface. The resulting microcapsules have a core of the uncured acrylate or methacrylate monomer or oligomer encapsulated with a wall layer of the cured acrylate or methacrylate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for encapsulating and solidifying spent ion exchange beads contained in a container to form an ion exchange bed with a solidification resin without the necessity for applying shear in the bed by an external force such as by a mixing impeller. A solidification resin is flowed through the ion exchange bed by plug flow to intermix with and encapsulate each ion exchange bead therein. The resin is cured to form a uniform, solidified monolith of said ion exchange beads in said container. When the ion exchange bed contains free water, the process also effects the removal of substantial portions of the free water and also emulsifies and solidifies free water remaining in the bed.

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: Method for the manufacture of oxidic nuclear fuel bodies by a heat treatment of blanks obtained from UO.sub.2 starting power or a mixture of UO.sub.2 and PuO.sub.2 starting powder at a treatment temperature in the range of 1000.degree. C. to 1400.degree. initially in a gas atmosphere with oxidizing action and subsequently in a gas atmosphere with reducing action. The oxygen potential of the gas atmosphere with oxidizing action is kept in a range in which a crystallographically demonstrable U.sub.4 O.sub.9 or (U, Pu).sub.4 O.sub.9 crystal phase is generated in the blanks during the heating to the treatment temperature in this gas atmosphere with oxidizing action.

Abstract: An improved method for compression molding of typically brittle ceramic materials comprising uranium dioxide which enhances their compacting and cohering properties in the manufacture of nuclear fuel products. The uranium dioxide is mixed with a fugitive binder comprising a high molecular weight acrylic acid polymer and ammonium bicarbonate. The mixture is then pressed and sintered to expel the binder and to give a fissionable nuclear fuel pellet.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of actinide and lanthanide values from aqueous solutions with an extraction solution containing an organic extractant having the formula: ##STR1## where .phi. is phenyl, R.sup.1 is a straight or branched alkyl or alkoxyalkyl containing from 6 to 12 carbon atoms and R.sup.2 is an alkyl containing from 3 to 6 carbon atoms and phase modifiers in a water-immiscible hydrocarbon diluent. The addition of the extractant to the Purex process extractant, tri-n-butylphosphate in normal paraffin hydrocarbon diluent, will permit the extraction of multivalent lanthanide and actinide values from 0.1 to 12.0 molar acid solutions.

Abstract: A method is provided for cleaning depleted uranium and its associated radioactivity from target sands, for reusing many of the reactants used in the cleaning, and for recovering the depleted uranium content as uranyl nitrate. The method involves roasting and tumbling target sands with molten nitrate mixtures, followed by aqueous extraction to remove the nitrates, then nitric acid extraction to remove uranium oxides as uranyl nitrates which can be solvent extracted into organic phases.

Abstract: A chemical process for isotopic enrichment of uranium involving the steps of exciting a chelated uranium compound (e.g. hydrated uranyl acetate complex in aqueous solution) to an excited electronic state wherein the excited state preferentially reacts at different rates by virtue of dissimilar nuclear magnetic moment contributions to the chemical kinetics of alternative excited state reaction pathways (e.g. return to ground state by intersystem crossing by electron-nucleus hyperfine coupling vs free radical formation and subsequent precipitation of the hydrated basic salt of uranyl acetate).

Abstract: Methods of increasing hydrocarbon production from subterranean hydrocarbon-containing formations having impaired permeability are provided wherein the formations are contacted with a penetrating solvent and cationic perfluoro compounds represented by the following formula: ##STR1## Such perfluoro compounds are adsorbed onto surfaces of the formation and prevent or substantially reduce wetting of the surfaces.

Abstract: Drilling fluids, both fresh and saline, containing additives and compositions, predominantly nonionic in nature, for the beneficiation of bentonite in such drilling slurries are described. The primary class of compounds employed are ethylene oxide derivatives, nonionic polysaccharides and under certain specified conditions anionic polysaccharides. In fresh water slurries polyethylene glycol derivatives of significantly different molecular weights are employed with nonionic polysaccharides for optimizing the rheological characteristics of bentonite slurries. The anionic polysaccharide can be deleted from the blend for economic reasons. In such formulations (i.e., a polyethylene glycol-nonionic polysaccharide blend) the molecular weight of the polyethylene glycol is important in obtaining low shear-rate yield stress characteristics in fresh water slurries, at elevated temperatures for maximum drill solids carrying capacity within the wellbore.

Abstract: Bead ion exchange resin wastes are disposed of by a process which involves spray-drying a bead ion exchange resin waste in order to remove substantially all of the water present in such waste, including the water on the surface of the ion exchange resin beads and the water inside the ion exchange resin beads. The resulting dried ion exchange resin beads can then be solidified in a suitable solid matrix-forming material, such as a polymer, which solidifies to contain the dried ion exchange resin beads in a solid monolith suitable for disposal by burial or other conventional means.

Abstract: A dichlorobenzidine dihydrochloride (DCB) slurry is produced by adding DCB to a dilute mineral acid carrier composed of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid, by maintaining the DCB concentration within the range such that the diamine amount constitutes from about 35% to about 50% by weight, and by blending the slurry with a high shear device in order to break up any clumps of DCB and to reduce the size of the individual particles of DCB. The resulting slurry is very fluid, yet has an extremely low solids settling rate.

Abstract: Monosodium phosphate is highly soluble in water and can be used as an ingredient for a low pH liquid buffer in a concentration of about 13-40 percent by weight. Tri potassium phosphate has good solubility in water and is a suitable ingredient for a high pH liquid buffer in a concentration of about 20-50 percent by weight. By a combination of these two ingredients, a system has been developed for using liquid buffer mixes in place of solid phosphate buffers, especially for use as a direct textile bath additive.

Abstract: Disclosed are organic treating agents for imparting improved flow properties to hydrides and compositions comprising hydrides treated with an effective amount of an organic compound capable of imparting improved flow properties to said hydride. Also disclosed are methods for improving the flow properties of hydrides comprising treating said hydrides with an organic compound capable of imparting improved flow properties. Said organic treating agent can be in liquid or vapor form and comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, amines, organic acids and organic acid salts.

Abstract: An oxygen generator is provided in the form of a housing having isolated first and second chambers. Oxygen-generating material is placed in the first chamber and a catalyst for activating the oxygen-generating material is placed in the second chamber. A heat-absorbing hydrated salt is also provided so as to be present during the reaction to absorb the excessive heat released upon the exothermic chemical decomposition of the oxygen-generating material. The salt has an endothermic dehydration reaction temperature below 50.degree. C. A membrane is operationally connected to the reaction chamber to allow the generated oxygen to be expelled from the reaction chamber while retaining the material contents therein.