Abstract
The Israeli National Nuclear Forensics Laboratory (INNFL) investigated four unknown samples during the Collaborative Material Exercise 7 (CMX-7). The samples, identified as depleted uranium, were marked ES-1 to ES-4. ES-2 isotopic composition (0.200 ± 0.004% U-235) was different from the other samples (0.300 ± 0.003% U-235). ES-2 phase exhibited characteristics similar to metallic crystalline uranium with its appearance and assay. However, its density (16.9 ± 1.7 g/cm3) deviated significantly from metallic uranium (19.1 g/cm3). A series of analyses indicated that vanadium was present (app. 3000 ppm) in porosive areas on ES-2 surface. The oxygen isotope ratios suggested thermal processing under environmental conditions.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the ITWG organization, specifically Olivia Marsden and Jon Schwantes, for their efforts in creating the CMX7 exercise.
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Brandis, M., Gershinsky, G., Rubinshtein, A. et al. Phase investigation of uranium–vanadium alloy using multiple techniques. J Radioanal Nucl Chem (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09200-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09200-z