Rapid mass-spectrometric determination of boron isotopic distribution in boron carbide

Boron isotopic ratios are measured in boron carbide by thermionic ionization mass spectrometry with no prior chemical separation. A powder blend of boron carbide and sodium hydroxide is prepared, a small portion is transferred to a tantalum filament, the filament is heated to produce sodium borate, and the filament is transferred to the mass spectrometer where the(11)B/(10)B ratio is measured, using the Na(2)BO(2)(+) ion. Variables investigated for their effect on preferential volatilization of (10)B include the sodium hydroxide-boron carbide ratio and the temperature and duration of filament heating. A series of boron carbide pellets containing natural boron, of the type proposed for the control rods of the Fast Flux Test Facility reactor, were analysed with an apparently unbiased result of 4.0560 for the (11)B/(10)B ratio (standard deviation 0.0087). The pellets contained over 3% metal impurities typically found in this material. Time of analysis is 45 min per sample, with one analyst.