CHEMISTRY DIVISION, SECTION C-1 SUMMARY REPORT FOR JANUARY, FEBRUARY, AND MARCH 1949

Physical and inorganic Chemistry. Studies are reported on: volatile complexes of ZrCl/sub 4/ and HfCl/sub 4/ with POCl/sub 3/; reaction of UCl/sub 4/ with LiAlH/sub 4/; preparation and properties of metal uranates and polyuranates; heats of solution of UO/sub 2/(NO/sub 3/)/sub 2/ hydrates; absorption spectra of Np in HClO/sub 4/, and separation of Np and Pu chlorides by a flow method. Process Chemistry. Extraction of Th from Mailiackrodt U raffinate was studied. Nuclear Chemistry aad Radiochemistry. Invesigations were carried out on: organic tritium; exchange reactions of U ions in solution; exchange reactions of Fe in aqueous solutions: Tc recovery from old Hanford slugs; (a,2n) cross section of Pa/sup 231/; and spontaneous fission counting U/sup 236/ and Pu/sup 238. (T.R.H) l822 Nuclear Chemistry and Radiochemistry. Measurements of the half- lives of Ac/sup 227/ and RaD(Pb/sup 210/) were continued. The effective pile neutron capture cross sections for U/sup 236/ were determined by measuring the activity of the resultant U/sup 237/ with an end window geiger counter. A study of ion chambers for tritium analysis is presented. Procedures were developed for the determination of tritium and C/sup 14/ in onganic compounds. Physical and Inorganic Chemistry. An investigation of the electrochemistry of Np in perchloric acid solution was undertaken. The investigation of the controlled potential electrolysis methods for the preparation of the various rhenium oxidation states was continued. Preliminary measurements of the heats of solution of the series of organic solvent were repeated. Data are given on the extraction of Am, Cm. and Pu in aqueous HCl-butyl phosphate ester systems. Electro-Chromatographic separation of Ag and Ni in 4N NH/sub 3/ is described. The electrical conductivity of BrF/sub 45/ and solutions of HF in BrF/sub 5/ is presented. The separation of Pa and Th by chloride distillation is described. Process Chemistry. Progress is reported on the following: extraction of ionium and Pa/sup231/ from Mallinckrodt raffinate; further purification of Pa from Pa/ sup 230/ waste stream 2U1; recovery of Sc and Pa/sup 230/ from Pa/sup 230/ wastes; separation of Sc from Th and rare earths using a TBP-HCl system; separation of Th. Pa, and U using a TBP-HCl-HF system; separation of Pa and U from neutron irradiated Pa/sup 230/; and removal of fission products from neutron- irradiated Pa/sup 230/. (W.J.H.