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Title: Physical characterization of uranium oxide pellets and powder applied in the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group Collaborative Materials Exercise 4

Abstract

Physical characterization is one of the most broad and important categories of techniques to apply in a nuclear forensic examination. Physical characterization techniques vary from simple weighing and dimensional measurements to complex sample preparation and scanning electron microscopy-electron backscatter diffraction analysis. This paper reports on the physical characterization conducted by several international laboratories participating in the fourth Collaborative Materials Exercise, organized by the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group. Methods include a range of physical measurements, microscopy-based observations, and profilometry. In conclusion, the value of these results for addressing key investigative questions concerning two uranium dioxide pellets and a uranium dioxide powder is discussed.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [6];  [6];  [6]
  1. Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization, Kirrawee, DC (Australia)
  2. French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, Is-Sur-Tille (France)
  3. AWE, Reading (United Kingdom)
  4. Canadian Nuclear Labs., Chalk River (Canada)
  5. Royal Military College of Canada, Station Forces Kingston (Canada)
  6. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1420293
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-745481
Journal ID: ISSN 0236-5731; TRN: US1801482
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 315; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0236-5731
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND RUEL MATERIALS; 98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION; Nuclear forensics; Physical characterization; Uranium; Scanning electron microscopy

Citation Formats

Griffiths, Grant, Keegan, E., Young, E., Wotherspoon, A., Palmer, T., Lu, K., Davis, J., Alexander, J., Jolly, L., Nevers, N., Delaunay, F., Collins, J. M., Dimayuga, I., Bergeron, A., Samuleev, P., Dai, Z., Holliday, K., Robel, M., and Knight, K. Physical characterization of uranium oxide pellets and powder applied in the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group Collaborative Materials Exercise 4. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1007/s10967-017-5678-z.
Griffiths, Grant, Keegan, E., Young, E., Wotherspoon, A., Palmer, T., Lu, K., Davis, J., Alexander, J., Jolly, L., Nevers, N., Delaunay, F., Collins, J. M., Dimayuga, I., Bergeron, A., Samuleev, P., Dai, Z., Holliday, K., Robel, M., & Knight, K. Physical characterization of uranium oxide pellets and powder applied in the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group Collaborative Materials Exercise 4. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5678-z
Griffiths, Grant, Keegan, E., Young, E., Wotherspoon, A., Palmer, T., Lu, K., Davis, J., Alexander, J., Jolly, L., Nevers, N., Delaunay, F., Collins, J. M., Dimayuga, I., Bergeron, A., Samuleev, P., Dai, Z., Holliday, K., Robel, M., and Knight, K. 2018. "Physical characterization of uranium oxide pellets and powder applied in the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group Collaborative Materials Exercise 4". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-017-5678-z. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1420293.
@article{osti_1420293,
title = {Physical characterization of uranium oxide pellets and powder applied in the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group Collaborative Materials Exercise 4},
author = {Griffiths, Grant and Keegan, E. and Young, E. and Wotherspoon, A. and Palmer, T. and Lu, K. and Davis, J. and Alexander, J. and Jolly, L. and Nevers, N. and Delaunay, F. and Collins, J. M. and Dimayuga, I. and Bergeron, A. and Samuleev, P. and Dai, Z. and Holliday, K. and Robel, M. and Knight, K.},
abstractNote = {Physical characterization is one of the most broad and important categories of techniques to apply in a nuclear forensic examination. Physical characterization techniques vary from simple weighing and dimensional measurements to complex sample preparation and scanning electron microscopy-electron backscatter diffraction analysis. This paper reports on the physical characterization conducted by several international laboratories participating in the fourth Collaborative Materials Exercise, organized by the Nuclear Forensics International Technical Working Group. Methods include a range of physical measurements, microscopy-based observations, and profilometry. In conclusion, the value of these results for addressing key investigative questions concerning two uranium dioxide pellets and a uranium dioxide powder is discussed.},
doi = {10.1007/s10967-017-5678-z},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1420293}, journal = {Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry},
issn = {0236-5731},
number = 2,
volume = 315,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 2018},
month = {Sat Jan 06 00:00:00 EST 2018}
}

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Cited by: 2 works
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Figures / Tables:

Table 1 Table 1: Instrumentation and methods used to measure masses, dimensions and densities of the CMX-4 samples

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Works referenced in this record:

Density of porous solids
journal, May 1973


Nuclear forensics—a methodology providing clues on the origin of illicitly trafficked nuclear materials
journal, January 2005


In situ investigation of U(IV)-oxide surface dissolution and remineralization by electrochemical AFM
journal, October 2003


Nuclear forensic investigations: Two case studies
journal, January 2006


Processing and microstructural characterisation of a UO2-based ceramic for disposal studies on spent AGR fuel
journal, January 2015