CHEM 418 Nuclear Chemistry, Winter 2019: Final Exam

The final exam for CHEM 418 is due 22-Mar-19.  The questions are designed to stimulate a broad utilization of course material. The exam is a word document.  Provide the answers and return as an e-mail attachment or through the Canvas site.  Post any questions to this blog.

CHEM 418 Nuclear Chemistry, Winter 2019: Lecture 19 Nuclear Forensics

This lecture covers the utilization of radionuclide properties to determine origin, age, used, and other properties of nuclear material. These isotope properties are defined as signatures of nuclear material, and include concentrations, relative amounts, and ratios. Specific details are provided on forensic signatures related to Pu and actinide isotopics. The signatures arising from reactors, separations, and post-detonation are included. For plutonium production these signatures include reactor power, reactor type, time of irradiation, separation method, and time since separation. The signatures include plutonium isotopic mass ratios, plutonium isotopic activity ratios, and transplutonium isotope ratios. Separation signatures include evaluation of Zr, Tc, Ru, and the lanthanides, with examples using Nd isotopics. Alloys of actinide metals as signatures is also presented. The lecture is 40 minutes.
The lecture is assigned Sunday 10 March 2019.  Lecture 19 PDF Quiz is due Friday 15 March 2019.  Any questions can be posted to the blog. The answers to PDF Quiz 19 will be posted on Saturday 16 March 2019.

CHEM 418 Nuclear Chemistry, Winter 2019: Lecture 18 Application of Nuclear Material

The lecture provides examples of the use of radioactive isotopes.  The methods used for isotope production are discussed. The difference between isotope production by accelerators and reactors is highlighted.  Reactor isotope products are primarily neutron rich; while accelerator produced isotopes tend to be neutron poor.  Isotopes used in the generation of neutrons are provided. These neutron generating sources are small with a relatively low neutron generating rate.  They are used in element and compound identification.  Examples of isotopes used as ionization sources are provided.  The discussion focuses on the use of 241Am for smoke detection and 63Ni for explosives detection.  The importance of 238Pu as a heat source is provided, with examples given for space exploration.  A number of isotopes used in radiopharmaceuticals are introduced.  Comparisons are given for diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.  The lecture is in 2 parts.  Part 1 is 29 minutes, part 2 is 32 minutes. 

The lecture is assigned on Tuesday 5 March 2019 and due Wednesday 13 March 2019.  When you have completed the lecture please comment on the blog Links to an external site.and respond to the Lecture 18 PDF quiz.  The answers to the Lecture 18 PDF quiz will be posted Thursday 14 March 2019.

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CHEM 418 Nuclear Chemistry, Winter 2019: Exam 3

Greetings

Exam 3 will be posted by Saturday 9 March 2019.  The exam topics will include:

• Lecture 11:  Speciation
• Lecture 12:  Uranium chemistry
• Lecture 13:  Neptunium chemistry
• Lecture 14:  Plutonium chemistry
• Lecture 15:  Americium and Curium chemistry
  
• Lecture 16:  Chemistry in reactor fuel
• Lecture 17:  Separations
• Lecture 18:  Application of Nuclear Material
• Lecture 19:  Nuclear Forensics

If you wish, you can provide questions for this exam.  Please do so by Wednesday 6 March 2019.  Questions can be posted on the blog. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

CHEM 418 Nuclear Chemistry, Winter 2019: Lecture 17 Separations

A number of different separation methods for radionuclides, with an emphasis on actinides, are presented. Solvent extraction, ion exchange, electrochemical, volatility and ionic liquid methods are discussed. The fundamental concepts are provided with specific examples on the nuclear fuel cycle. Ideas and concepts for advanced separations are given. Details are provided for the different separation routes discussed. The PUREX process is described. Examples are given for TRUEX and TALSPEAK separations. Specific examples for actinide separations are provided. Part 1 is 40 minutes, part 2 is 40 minutes, part 3 is 24 minutes, and part 4 is 30 minutes.  Part 4 is a summation lecture on transuranic separations that are drawn from the Np, Pu, Am, and Cm lectures. Part 4 is meant as a review and provides a compilation of separation methods, the bulk can be skipped, but examples of questions are provided at the end of the lecture. 

The lecture is assigned on Sunday 3 March 2019 and due Tuesday 12 March 2019.  When you have completed the lecture please comment on the blog Links to an external site.and respond to the Lecture 17 PDF quiz

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 . The answers to the Lecture 17 PDF quiz will be posted Wednesday 13 March 2019.

CHEM 418 Cyclotron tour on Monday 4 March

For CHEM 418 we have organized a tour of the cyclotron on campus for Monday 4 March at 1000. As this time is outside our normal class time please confirm your availability in the blog below. 

During the tour you will be able to visit an isotope production facility and be introduced to ongoing research on campus. For those interested in exploring research opportunities this is an excellent time to obtain information and meet those performing studies.

The tour information is available.

CHEM 418 Nuclear Chemistry, Winter 2019: Lecture 16 In reactor chemistry

This lecture provides an overview of nuclear reactors and describes the chemistry of actinides and fission products in reactors.  A broad overview of nuclear reactors is provided.  The essential components of a reactor, fuel, cladding, coolant, and moderators, are described.  Characteristics of reactor materials and nuclear fuels are given.  A summary of reactor types, generally classified on coolant properties, is provided.  The chemistry of nuclear fuel is provided, with an emphasis placed on understanding the phases formed in nuclear fuel. The fission process is reviewed and fuel burnup discussed. Determining fission product and actinide concentration to assess burnup is introduced. The variation of fission product and actinide concentration with burnup and initial fuel composition is provided. Axial and radial distribution of activity, fission products, and actinides is discussed, highlighting the role of neutron flux and energies on the distribution. Conditions necessary for the formation of separate phases in UO2 are shown for perovskite and metallic phases, emphasizing the role of oxygen in the process. The behavior of fission products can be grouped into 4 areas: volatile species, metallic precipitates, oxide precipitates, and solid solutions. The lecture is in two parts.  Part 1 is length is 36 minutes, part 2 is 32 minutes.

The lecture is assigned on Saturday 2 March 2019 and due Saturday 9 March 2019.  When you have completed the lecture please comment on the blog Links to an external site.and respond to the Lecture 16 PDF quiz

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 . The answers to the Lecture 16 PDF quiz will be posted Sunday 10 March 2019.