Year
1984
Abstract
The New Brunswick Laboratory (NBL), U.S. Department of Energy, has certified a plutonium dioxide reference material, CRM 122, for plutonium assay and isotopic composition. The Pu02 standard, one of several certified Pu reference materials currently beirg developed at NBL for use in instrumentation calibration and measurement control for safeguards, establishes traceability to the national measurement base. This plutonium reference material in the oxide form provides more directly demonstrable traceability than metal because it undergoes the same chemical treatment for dissolution as PuOg fuel materials. Various tests for achieving a constant weight and for dissolving CRM 122 highfired Pu02 were conducted. Results of these tests as well as the certification data generated by controlled-potential coulometry for plutonium assay and by thermal ionization mass spectrometry for iaotopic composition will also be presented and discussed.