Synthesis and characterisation of PuPO₄ - a potential analytical standard for EPMA actinide quantification

Transmutation nuclear fuels contain weight percentage quantities of actinide elements, including Pu, Am and Np. Because of the complex spectra presented by actinide elements using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), it is necessary to have relatively pure actinide element standards to facilitate overlap correction and accurate quantitation. Synthesis of actinide oxide standards is complicated by their multiple oxidation states, which can result in inhomogeneous standards or standards that are not stable at atmospheric conditions. Synthesis of PuP₄ results in a specimen that exhibits stable oxidation-reduction chemistry and is sufficiently homogenous to serve as an EPMA standard. This approach shows promise as a method for producing viable actinide standards for microanalysis.