Aluminum-plutonium alloys

934,544. Plutonium aluminium alloys. ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA Ltd. March 20, 1962 [April 19, 1961], No. 10697/62. Class 39 (4). An alloy consisting of plutonium, aluminium and one element selected from nickel, silicon or uranium is prepared by adding the latter to the molten plutonium aluminium alloy. The ternary alloy contains from 2 to 8 wt. per cent plutonium, and either 1 to 2 wt. per cent of nickel, or 13 to 17 wt. per cent of silicon or uranium, the balance being aluminium. Preferably the alloy contains from 4-6 wt. per cent plutonium and concentration of plutonium + silicon or plutonium +uranium is from 19-21%. This nickel is added when the temperature of the binary melt is 765‹ C. to 785‹ C., preferably 775‹ C., the silicon at a melt temperature of 840-860‹ C., preferably 850‹ C., and the uranium at 940-960‹ C., preferably 950‹ C. The initial plutonium aluminium melt is preferably prepared by reducing plutonium dioxide with excess aluminium metal in the presence of cryolite at 1100-1200‹ C.