About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Seaborg Institutes: Emerging Topics in Actinide Sciences
|
| Presentation Title |
Microstructural Characterization of U/Pu Particulates |
| Author(s) |
John Mayer, Matthew Wellons, Bryan Foley, Michael Bronikowski, Spencer Scott, Lorianne Shultz-Johnson, Christopher Barrett, Assel Aitkaliyeva |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
John Mayer |
| Abstract Scope |
Monodisperse 1 μm test particulates for environmental sampling in nuclear forensics were synthesized using SRNL’s THermally Evaporated Spray for Engineered Uniform particulateS (THESEUS) platform. Two sample variations of U/Pu particles were made: 1) uranium oxide with no Pu doping and 2) uranium oxide with 1 ppm Pu. These particles have been characterized previously to probe material phase, density, size, morphology, and uranium isotopic composition. Since intraparticle elemental, isotopic, and structural heterogeneity may provide key insights into synthesis and fit-for-purposes characterization operations, understanding the microstructure and chemistry of these particulates at the sub-micro scale is critical. The sub-microstructure of the U and U/Pu particulates was investigated via focused ion beam (FIB) tomography paired with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Complementary to FIB tomography, the morphology, elemental composition, and crystal structures of the 0 ppm Pu and 1 ppm Pu doped U3O8 particulates were probed via TEM, EDS, and selective area electron diffraction (SAED). |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Characterization, Nuclear Materials, |