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INL reports findings on unusual quantum behavior of plutonium
Scientists at Idaho National Laboratory have discovered that plutonium hexaboride (PuB6) displays a type of unusual quantum property called a topological Kondo insulating state. Materials with this property are neither typical electricity conductors nor regular insulators. Rather, they have exterior surfaces that strongly conduct electricity and interiors that block electricity.
Shunji Homma, Mitsuhiro Takanashi, Jiro Koga, Shiro Matsumoto, Masaki Ozawa
Nuclear Technology | Volume 116 | Number 1 | October 1996 | Pages 108-114
Technical Paper | Enrichment and Reprocessing System | doi.org/10.13182/NT96-A35315
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A new approach for evaluating the apparent equilibrium and rate constants for the reaction of Np(V) with nitric acid by using the process data of multistage countercurrent solvent extraction experiments is proposed. The numerical simulation of neptunium extraction in the co-decontamination process of the Purex process is carried out on the assumption of the rate equation. The apparent equilibrium and rate constants are determined by the nonlinear least-squares method with experimental data for multistage countercurrent solvent extraction with a numerical simulation code. The determined apparent equilibrium and rate constants are 1.25 to 1.97 x 10-2 min-1 and 6.04 to 11.5 x 10-4 (ℓ/mol)3/2, respectively. These values are consistent with those obtained in other kinetic studies.