Optimized Chemical Separation and Measurement by TE TIMS Using Carburized Filaments for Uranium Isotope Ratio Measurements Applied to Plutonium Chronometry.

An optimized method is described for U/Pu separation and subsequent measurement of the amount contents of uranium isotopes by total evaporation (TE) TIMS with a double filament setup combined with filament carburization for age determination of plutonium samples. The use of carburized filaments improved the signal behavior for total evaporation TIMS measurements of uranium. Elevated uranium ion formation by passive heating during rhenium signal optimization at the start of the total evaporation measurement procedure was found to be a result from byproducts of the separation procedure deposited on the filament. This was avoided using carburized filaments. Hence, loss of sample before the actual TE data acquisition was prevented, and automated measurement sequences could be accomplished. Furthermore, separation of residual plutonium in the separated uranium fraction was achieved directly on the filament by use of the carburized filaments. Although the analytical approach was originally tailored to achieve reliable results only for the (238)Pu/(234)U, (239)Pu/(235)U, and (240)Pu/(236)U chronometers, the optimization of the procedure additionally allowed the use of the (242)Pu/(238)U isotope amount ratio as a highly sensitive indicator for residual uranium present in the sample, which is not of radiogenic origin. The sample preparation method described in this article has been successfully applied for the age determination of CRM NBS 947 and other sulfate and oxide plutonium samples.