Mapping of Uranium in Surrogate Nuclear Debris Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Characterizing nuclear debris is crucial for safety and waste management.
• Elemental analysis of complex matrices like nuclear debris presents significant challenges.
• Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a promising technique for rapid elemental analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To perform macroscopic elemental mapping of uranium and iron in nuclear debris surrogates.
• To evaluate the feasibility of using LIBS for field screening and process control of nuclear materials.
• To investigate material fractionation patterns within surrogate nuclear debris.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) system for elemental analysis.
• Applied LIBS to analyze both the exterior surface and interior cross-section of surrogate nuclear debris.
• Focused on mitigating chemical and physical matrix effects for four uranium atomic emission lines.
• Achieved a spatial resolution of 0.5 mm for detailed mapping.

Main Results:

• Successfully conducted macroscopic elemental mapping of uranium and iron for the first time on surrogate nuclear debris.
• Identified a material fractionation pattern within the surrogate debris.
• Demonstrated the potential for LIBS to analyze uranium and iron with minimal interferences.

Conclusions:

• LIBS systems can be effectively packaged for field screening of nuclear debris samples.
• LIBS can serve as an effective instrument for process control during the production of debris surrogates.
• The identified material fractionation pattern provides insights into melting temperatures and thermal gradients experienced during debris formation.