A Fission-Fragment Autoradiographic Technique for Detecting ²⁴⁴Cm

A fission-fragment autoradiographic technique has been applied to the detection of ²⁴⁴Cm in solids. Fission-fragment tracks are registered in glass and subsequently revealed by etching the glass with HF. The technique was used to establish the nature and extent of reaction of curium oxide with aluminum oxide at 1650°C and to indicate the distribution of curium in several types of ceramic and cermet compacts.