Re: FiestaWare

[Jack Couch <jgcouc@planetx.bloomu.edu>]

At 11:15 AM 6/6/96 -0500, Tad Blanchard wrote:
>What is the primary radionuclide in FiestaWare? 
><snip>

The following quote is from the Homer Laughlin China 
Company, original manufacturer of Fiestaware. (Reference: 
Sharon and Bob Huxford, The Collectors Encyclopedia 
of Fiesta, 5th ed. (Collector Books, Paducah, KY, 1984), 
p. 26.) There may be later editions of the book.

"Before 1943 the colorant,14% by weight of the glaze 
covering the ware was uranium oxide U308 with the 
uranium content being made up of about 0.7% U-235 and 
the remainder U-238...the colorant now used is depleted 
technical grade U308 with the uranium content being made 
up of about 0.2% U-235 and the remainder U-238."

A HPGe gamma spectrum shows the five characteristic low energy
U-235 peaks nicely. The presence of U-238 can be deduced 
from the strong gamma peak of its daughter Th-234.

More details, including a Fiestaware gamma spectrum, are given in:  
Jack G. Couch and Kelly L. Vaughn, "Radioactive Consumer 
Products in the Classroom," The Physics Teacher, pp 18-22, 
Vol. 33, Jan, 1995. (Work was done, in part, as a senior project 
by Kelly, one of our 1995 HP BS graduates)

The gamma spectrum (showing Th-232 plus progeny) and other details 
about a Coleman lantern mantle are also included in the above article.
Jack Couch,
HP Program Director
Physics Department
Bloomsburg University
jgcouc@planetx.bloomu.edu