An investigation of the effect of the uranyl ion on proton spin relaxation times in aqueous solutions

The purpose of this thesis was to determine the effect of the uranyl ion on the spin-lattice relaxation time of protons in aqueous solutions.

A flowmeter using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques is being designed for use in future nuclear fuel reprocessing plants to monitor the flow rate of aqueous solutions which are acidic, contain plutonium and uranium ions, chemical waste, and radioactive waste materials. The spin-lattice relaxation time is critical to the design of a flowmeter using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques.

Experimental studies showed that spin-lattice relaxation time did not change for different molar concentrations of sample solutions of uranyl nitrate and uranyl acetate prepared from pure laboratory chemicals dissolved in distilled water. Therefore, it was concluded that the uranyl ion does not contribute to the relaxation process for protons in water.