Thursday, July 23, 2015

Summer 2015: Quiz 5: Survey

Please respond to Quiz 5, which is a course survey.  Responses from the survey have been used to modify and improve the course in the past.  Please return quiz 5 prior to your departure.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

Summer 2015: Quiz 4

Quiz 4                                                                                                                           
Assigned: 19-Jul-15                                     
Due: 22-Jul-15
2nd submission: 26-Jul-15
Lecture 14:  Pu Chemistry
Lecture 15:  Am and Cm Chemistry
Fast Reactors and Gas-cooled Reactors
Fuel design and History of Reprocessing

Lecture 16:  In-reactor Chemistry

Use lecture notes, textbooks, Chart of the Nuclides, Table of the Isotopes, and web pages.   Show your work or references on a separate electronic submission with the subject line:  Quiz 4 “your last name” work.  Use the PDF form to submit your answers.

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 16 In reactor chemistry

This lecture describes the chemistry of actinides and fission products in reactors, primarily focusing on 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.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 15 Americium and Curium chemistry

This lecture introduces the chemistry of americium and curium. Both elements are discussed due to their similar chemical behavior, particularly in separations. However, important differences in their chemistry are highlighted. For americium pentavalent and hexavalent species are achievable. For curium, its unique fluorescence properties are highlighted. The nuclear properties of americium and curium isotopes are provided. Isotope production focus on those formed from multiple neutron capture. These isotopes, 241Am, 243Am, 244Cm and248Cm, are used to explore americium and curium chemistry. The basic solution chemistry is described, along with implications for fuel cycle separations. Methods for the separation of americium and curium are provided, including solvent extractions, anion exchange, precipitation, and molten salt techniques. Synthesis and characterization of americium and curium metals, alloys, and compounds are provided, with emphasis placed on those compounds of importance to the nuclear fuel cycle. The non-aqueous and coordination chemistry of these elements are introduced. The limited available data offers an avenue for novel explorations and future research directions. 

Monday, July 6, 2015

Summer 2015: Quiz 3

Assigned: 7-Jul-15                                                                          
Due: 13-Jul-15
2nd submission: 17-Jul-15

Quiz 3 covers the following topics:
Lecture 9:  Nuclear Reactions
Lecture 10:  Speciation
Lecture 11:  Uranium Chemistry
Lecture 12:  Technetium Chemistry
Lecture 13:  Neptunium Chemistry
Nuclear Forensics (Beach Lecture)


Use lecture notes, textbooks, Chart of the Nuclides, Table of the Isotopes, and web pages.   Show your work or references on a separate electronic submission with the subject line:  Quiz 3 “your last name” work..

Sunday, July 5, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 14 Plutonium Chemistry

This lecture provides basic information on the chemistry of plutonium in three parts. Discussion on the nuclear properties of 238Pu and 239Pu are included. Environmental concentrations of plutonium, including 244Pu and naturally produced 239Pu, are discussed. Large scale plutonium separations are presented, including the PUREX process. The use of volatility and ion exchange as plutonium separation techniques are also given. The synthesis and properties are metallic plutonium are described in detail. An review of metal preparation methods are provided, including the plutonium-gallium phase diagram. The physical properties of plutonium metal are given and discussed. The solution chemistry of plutonium is depicted though coordination and spectroscopy as a function of oxidation state. Examples are provided on the various nature of plutonium chemistry in the solution phase, as colloids, and solid phase. The non-aqueous chemistry of plutonium is described and related to electronic structure. 

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 13 Neptunium Chemistry

Neptunium chemistry is covered in this lecture. Nuclear properties and synthesis of neptunium are described, with emphasis placed on the isotopes 235-239Np. The synthesis and properties of neptunium metal, alloys, and intermetallic compounds are introduced. The lecture describes neptunium compound synthesis, with resulting thermodynamic and structural properties provided. Neptunium organometallic and coordination compounds are also presented. Information on neptunium solution speciation, redox, and spectroscopy is given, with trends based on oxidation state examined. A presentation of analytical methods useful in neptunium chemistry, including Mössbauer spectroscopy, concludes the lecture. Comparisons are made with uranium chemistry to provide trends in the actinides.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 11 Uranium and the fuel cycle

This lecture is in two parts. Uranium chemistry is covered in this lecture with an emphasis on separations and synthesis for the nuclear fuel cycle. Uranium is introduced with an overview of its chemistry for the fuel cycle. The solution chemistry of uranium is explored, focusing on uranyl. The molecular orbital of uranium is described. Separation of uranium by solvent extraction and ion exchange is presented. The enrichment of uranium from the uranium hexafluoride species is discussed, including diffusion, centrifuge, and laser methods. Oxide species of uranium are presented. Due to its potential as a nuclear fuel, the synthesis and properties of uranium metal and alloys are described in detail. With three different phase, the uranium metal exhibits more complex electronic behavior than the metals of the lighter actinides, a trend that continues to plutonium metal. 

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 10 Speciation

This lecture covers fundamentals of chemical kinetics thermodynamics, mainly as a review. Emphasis of the lectures is applied to information useful for speciation modeling. Equilibrium constants are discussed. The role of chemical activity is provided. Calculations and models for speciation are presented. Equilibrium modeling using EXCEL and the program CHESS are presented. Solubility calculations are provides, with examples for the uranium system.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 9 Nuclear Reactions

The lecture on nuclear reactions is presented in two parts. Nuclear reaction notation is introduced. The role of energetics in nuclear reactions is discussed and evaluated, including Q value, reaction barriers, and threshold energy. Center of mass and laboratory frames are discussed. The different processes involved in the formation of isotopes is provided including photonuclear processes. Reaction energetics, mechanisms and types are described. Nuclear reaction cross sections are described, with a presentation on values and limits given. This includes role of angular momentum in cross section values. The stellar production of elements is presented in terms of nuclear reactions. These provide the basis for understanding the formation of isotopes in stars.

Friday, June 26, 2015

Summer 2015: Quiz 2 Beta Decay, Gamma Decay, Fission, and Nuclear Models

Quiz 2 is posted.  The quiz covers:

Lecture 5:  Beta Decay
Lecture 6:  Gamma Decay
Lecture 7:  Fission
Lecture 8:  Nuclear Models


Use lecture notes, textbooks, Chart of the Nuclides, Table of the Isotopes, and web pages.   Show your work or reference and send in as a separate document.  Quiz 2 is assigned on 26-Jun-15. The 1st due date is 1-Jul-15.  The 2nd submission date 6-Jul-15.  Please post any questions to the blog.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 8 Nuclear Force and Nuclear Models

This lecture provides information on nuclear force and nuclear models. The strong force is introduced through isospin. A comparison of exchange particles is provided. The use of mirror nuclei to examine the strong force is presented. An overview of nuclear potentials is provided and used as a basis of the shell model. States of the shell model and their relationship to magic numbers are discussed. Use of the shell model is determine nuclide spin and parity is presented. From the shell model the unpaired nucleon is used to assess overall nuclear spin. Examples are provided for nuclei with one or two unpaired nucleons. Nordheim rules are used to evaluation spin and parity with odd-odd nuclei. The relationship between spin and parity with nuclear deformation is introduced with Nilsson diagrams. Additional information on Nilsson diagrams can be found in the Table of the Isotopes. An introduction of the Fermi model for energetic nuclei is given. 

Summer 2015: Lecture 7 Fission

A general overview of nuclear fission is presented. The probability of fission is described based on developed models including the liquid drop model and shell corrections. Discussion on spontaneous fission and fissioning isomers is given. The transition nucleus and fission product distributions are discussed. The total kinetic energy, mass distribution, and charge distribution during fission are presented. Changes in fission product distribution with parent properties are introduced. Delayed neutrons from fission and their role in reactors are given. Proton induced fission is introduced.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 6 Gamma Decay

Gamma decay is described in this lecture. The energetics involved in gamma decay are provided. Decay types in gamma transitions are explained, inclusion those that do not occur by photon emission. Transition probabilities and internal conversions inherent to gamma decay are covered. Links to find transition probabilities are provided. Electronic and magnetic multiple transitions are discussed. Angular correlations in gamma decay are described. The use of gamma decay in Moessbauer spectroscopy is presented.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 5 Beta Decay

Beta decay is presented in this lecture. The neutrino hypothesis and its relationship with beta decay is discussed. A review of Q value calculations for beta decay is provided. The importance of spin and parity, and how it can be used to assess beta decay, is discussed. Modeling beta decay through the weak force is provided.. The impact of Coulomb interactions on positron and electron spectral shape is presented. The use of Kurie plots in understanding beta decay is introduced. Selection rules in beta decay and beta transitions are explained. Calculating logft and its relation to spin and parity are presented. Double beta decay is discussed. 

Thursday, June 18, 2015

Summer 2015: Quiz 1

Quiz 1 is posted.  It is assigned for 19 June 2014. The first deadline is 24-Jun-15. There will be a second deadline for submission of corrected questions on 29-Jun-15.  Please post any and all questions related to Quiz 1 to the blog. 
This first celebration of learning covers:
Lecture 1:  Introduction, Chart of the Nuclides
Lecture 2:  Nuclear Properties
Lecture 3:  Decay Kinetics
Lecture 4:  Alpha Decay 

Monday, June 15, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 4 Alpha decay

This lecture discusses alpha decay in radionuclides.  Theories on alpha decay are presented. Systematics and energetics involved in alpha decay are presented.  The correlation between Q value and decay energy is described.  The Geiger Nuttall relationship is provided, described, and utilized in a model for alpha decay. Tunneling is also exploited to described alpha decay, coupling energy and half-life.  Gamow calculations are shown to reflect the Geiger Nuttall relationship. Hindered alpha decay is discussed. Hindered alpha decay is employed to described nuclear properties. Hinderance factors are described, along with how they are calculated and where they can be found. Proton and other charged particle emission are presented.

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 3 Decay Kinetics

This lecture covers the fundamental equations that describe the decay of radionuclides; covered in two parts. Basic equations and their utility are presented. The implications on error from counting is provided. Equations for mixtures, equilibrium, and branching of radionuclides are covered. The use of a program to solve the Bateman equation is presented.  The program is ERC Nuclide. The use of cross sections in determining production rates are covered. Saturation in isotope production due to the decay of the daughter is described. Discussion of natural radiation and dating are given. Examples are provided using the equations under a host of conditions. These include examples for dating from 238U, 14C, and the Oklo reactor. 

Summer 2015: Lecture 2 Nuclear Properties

A discussion on systematics of nuclear properties is presented. Mass, mass excess, and mass distribution within the nucleus is presented. The liquid drop model is described, with the nuclear parameters discussed. Trends related to magic numbers are introduced. Mass excess data are used to calculate energies in decays. Equations for determining nuclear radii are provided. Models that are used to describe the stability of nuclei are introduced. Nuclear shapes and structures are introduced. Spin, parity, and magnetic properties of the nucleus are discussed. 

Summer 2015: Lecture 1. Introduction and using the chart of the nuclides

The class outcomes, expectations, and grading are explained.  Resources for the course are provided, including the chart of the nuclides and links to the table of the isotopes, programs, and databases. The laboratory courses and research expectations are introduced.  A history of radioelement discovery and radiation research is presented. The Chart of the Nuclides is discussed and used. Atomic properties, nuclear nomenclature, X-rays, types of decays and physical forces are introduced. 

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Summer 2015: Lecture 0 Using the online lectures

Using the online lecture format is presented. The lectures are available as notes without audio or animation, PowerPoint audio and animation, AVI video, and MOV video. AVI is a Microsoft video format and MOV is used with QuickTime. The use of multiple formats should permit viewing of lectures on a host of platforms.  An introduction of the PDF quizzes is also provided.  These quizzes are to be submitted at the end of each lecture.