Year
2019
Abstract
LA-UR-19-20547Americium is used in a variety of commercial applications, ranging from home smoke detectorsto use in well logging by the oil industry. Am-241 was last produced in the United States in the1980s, but Los Alamos National Laboratory began re-establishing production capability forpurified americium oxide in 2017 with the CLEAR (Chloride Line Extraction and ActinideRecovery) line. Since then, a total of five full scale production runs have been completed. Aconsistent focus of production has been working to efficiently close out a batch per NMCA(Nuclear Material Control and Accountability) requirements. NDA (Non Destructive Assay)conducts calorimetry and isotopic measurements on both the incoming feed salts and out-goingproduct oxide and waste cakes. Radiochemistry analysis from C-AAC (Chemistry-ActinideAnalytical Chemistry) is taken on aqueous solution samples at various points in the process.Each of these measurement types carry with them a higher than normal uncertainty due to thehigh concentration of Am. The creation of Am standards will lower this uncertainty and increaseefficient close out practices.