Investigating sol–gel matrix loading capacity toward producing surrogate nuclear explosive debris with realistic composition

Diehl, George; Cooper, Justin T.; Mastren, Tara; Holschuh, Tommy V.; Chichester, David L.; Snow, Mathew

doi:10.1007/s10967-023-09299-0

Investigating sol–gel matrix loading capacity toward producing surrogate nuclear explosive debris with realistic composition

Journal Article · Fri Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2024 · Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-023-09299-0· OSTI ID:2316045

Diehl, George ^[1]; ^[2]; Mastren, Tara ^[1]; ^[2]; Chichester, David L. ^[2]; ^[2]

Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Post detonation nuclear forensic materials which resemble the size, color, elemental composition, and radionuclide content of real nuclear debris would be valuable for developing and validating new nuclear forensic techniques. As nuclear fallout types vary significantly, the ability to tailor each of these parameters accurately is desired to produce materials capable of testing analytical methods under a wide array of forensic scenarios. Sol–gel synthesis techniques can provide tunability of size, shape and composition for producing a wide variety of solid nuclear forensics benchmarking materials. Further, the sol–gel process consists of forming a metal oxide material, often silica, through polymerization of a metal-alkoxy precursor. In this work, we characterize the ability to load sol–gel particles with secondary elemental components such as iron, aluminum, and calcium toward producing benchmarking materials approximating the elemental composition of historic nuclear debris from the Nevada National Security Site. We also demonstrate quantitative radionuclide encapsulation toward producing benchmarking materials with controllable radionuclide content. Finally, we employ these techniques to produce nuclear debris benchmarking materials with controllable elemental matrix composition and radionuclide content and compare these samples with the composition of a historic fallout sample previously reported from the Nevada National Security Site.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

OSTI ID:: 2316045

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU--23-71233-Rev000

Journal Information:: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Vol. 333; ISSN 0236-5731

Publisher:: SpringerCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
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