Synthesis and study of binary actinide and lanthanide compounds

Production of foils of 60-7O μm in thickness of Pt-Cm alloy with 3 at.% curium-244 nuclide content is described. The foils were investigated by the methods of X-ray, chemical and metallographic analyses. The alloy is composed of two phases: pure platinum and Pt5Cm intermetallic compound. The obtained data support the absence of noticeable curium solubility in platinum at room temperature. Deviation of curium distribution over the foil volume doesn't exceed 10% of the average value. It was established that curium leachability by water under standard conditions decreases from 0.1-0.5% down to 0.01-0.02% for freshly prepared foils during repeated leaching and then down to 0.005-0.006% after additional hydrogen calcination. Noticeable curium washing from foils increasing with acid concentration takes place during exposure in nitric acid