State of the art and development trends in the production, properties, and uses of transplutonium elements at the Lenin Reactor Research Institute

Some results are reported from the Reactor Research Institute on the properties, production methods, and uses of the transplutonium elements (TPE), which have been obtained between 1976 and 1982. A comprehensive technology has been devised for processing irradiated reactor targets, which provides high yields. Calculations and experiments have defined the optimum design of the high-frequency trap on the SM-2 reactor. Neutron sources have been made for general industrial and medical purposes containing californium 252. It is shown that curium occurs in the hexavalent state in aqueous solution. Measurements have been made on the resonant-level parameters of berkelium 249 and californium 249. TPE compounds with platinum-group metals have been made and examined. The properties of the TPE metals have also been examined. Future problems have been discussed.