Abstract
Electron microscopy, electron diffraction and x-ray analysis have been used to study hydroxide precipitates and colloidal solutions of tetravalent plutonium. The results showed that the freshly precipitated material consisted of small, primary particles that are essentially amorphous. After sufficient aging in an aqueous medium, the material became crystalline. Diffraction patterns obtained from the crystalline samples corresponded to the cubic PuO2 lattice. Crystallites up to 20A in diameter formed in precipitates that were aged in water at 95°. Colloidal solutions of these small particles were obtained by peptizing the precipitates in dilute HNO3. To obtain sols with crystallites up to 100A in diameter, it was necessary to use a solid-state heating step at 250°. The behavior of plutonium is analogous to that of hydrous thoria. As with thoria, there was no indication of a definite, crystalline hydroxide, such as the hypothetical Pu(OH)4.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
