Development of U-235 and U-238 analysis by electrodeposition technique using alpha spectrometer as radiation counter

An analytical method for U-235 and U-238 in uranium sample by electrodeposition technique followed by alpha spectrometry was developed. The process involved purification of uranium by anion exchange resin, Amberlite IR A-400 prior to electrodeposition of uranium on stainless steel disc and counted the alpha activity by using a silicon surface barrier detector. The alpha energies could be resolved clearly. The quantity of uranium isotopes could be calculated by comparing with that of the uranium standard which was treated by the same method. The optimum current density for the electrodeposition was found to be 170 m A/cm2 and electrodeposition time was about 3 hours. A depleted uranium sample was analyzed by this method and found that uranium-234, uranium-235 and uranium-238 contents were 0.0026%, 0.25% and 99.74% respectively. The studies covered also the effect of temperature on electrodeposition of uranium and the effects of impurities in the sample: arsenic, iron, molybdenum and vanadium on the accuracy of analyses