ASTM C1346-08

This document is not anASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of anASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:C1346–02 Designation: C 1346 – 08
Standard Practice for
,
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Dissolution of UF from P-10 Tubes
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This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 1346; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This practice covers the dissolution of UF from a P-10 tube to provide solutions for analysis.
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1.2
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility
of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory
limitations prior to use. For specific safeguard and safety precaution statements, see Section 8.
2. Referenced Documents
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
C 761 Test Methods for Chemical, Mass Spectrometric, Spectrochemical, Nuclear, and Radiochemical Analysis of Uranium
Hexafluoride
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C 787Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride for Enrichment Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride for Enrichment
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C 996 Specification for Uranium Hexafluoride Enriched to Less Than 5 % U
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water
3. Summary of Practice
3.1 UF samples intended for analysis are packaged in P-10 tubes to prevent sublimation and reaction with moisture in the air.
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The P-10 tube assembly (Fig. 1) consists of a Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) tube containing the UF , a fluorothenePCTFE
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gasket to cover the tube’s opening, and a Monel nut and plug (Monel or SS) to seal the gasket to the tube.
3.2 The UF tube is weighed, cooled in liquid nitrogen, and quickly opened and immersed in ice-cold water for dissolution.The
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pieces of the tube’s assembly are removed from the resulting solution, rinsed, dried, reassembled, and weighed. The solution is
dried for gravimetric conversion to U O , or diluted to an appropriate concentration for dispensing into aliquantsaliquots for
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subsequent analysis.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 Uranium hexafluoride is a basic material used to prepare nuclear reactor fuel. To be suitable for this purpose the material
must meet criteria for uranium content, isotopic composition, metallic impurities, hydrocarbon, composition and partially
substituted halohydrocarbon content metallic impurities in Specification C 787 and C 996. This practice results in the complete
dissolutionofthesampleforuraniumandimpuritiesanalysis,anddeterminationofisotopicdistributionbythermalionizationmass
spectrometry as described in, for example, Test Methods C 761. Highly volatile impurities should be determined directly on UF .
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5. Apparatus
5.1 Steam bath, in a hood, if optional step 9.2.13 is used.
5.2 Vacuum oven, if option 2 of 9.2.16 is used. The oven should be adjustable to 80°C at a pressure of -29 in. of Hg. 9.2.14
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This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C26 on Nuclear Fuel Cycle and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C26.05 on Methods of Test.
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 2002. Published April 2002. Originally published as C1346–96. Last previous edition C1346–96
Current edition approved June 1, 2008. Published July 2008. Originally approved in 1996. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as C 1346 – 02
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Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 12.01.
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Polychlorotrifluoroethylene P-10 tubes are widely accepted by the industry for subsample collection and subsequent UF quality analyses or dispatch to the customer.
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The procedure for subsample collection and dissolution can also be used for other types of subsample tubes, for example, P-20, P-80 or P-100 , in that case the amount of
water has to be adjusted to ensure complete hydrolisation of UF and avoid excessive heat evolution.
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Reagent Chemicals, American Chemical Society Specifications, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC. For suggestions on the testing of reagents not listed by
the American Chemical Society, see Analar Standards for Laboratory Chemicals, BDH Ltd., Poole, Dorset, U.K., and the United States Pharmacopeia and National
Formulary, U.S. Pharmaceutical Convention, Inc. (USPC), Rockville, MD.
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For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standa
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