IMPROVED ELECTRODEPOSITED ACTINIDE LAYERS

Electrodeposition is a relatively simple and high-yielding method for producing actinide layers for nuclear targets. A new design of the cel l has been used to deposit U, Pu, Np and Am onto metallic backings fro m isopropanol and onto carbon-coated polyimide films from isobutanol. The current density was 1-3 mA/cm(2). Deposition yields, determined by low geometry alpha-particle counting, were about 65% for Pu and about 90% for other elements. The same technique was used to investigate th ickness homogeneity of Pu-239 deposits, and it was observed that targe ts with mean thickness up to about 100 mu g/cm(2) were thicker in the centre than at the edge, but for targets above 100 mu g/cm(2) this pro file was reversed. Modifications to the electrode shape were made in a n attempt to improve the thickness uniformity.