Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041

Title: Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique

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Abstract

Nuclear forensics requires accurate quantification of discriminating microstructural characteristics of the bulk nuclear material to identify its process history and provenance. Conventional metallographic preparation techniques for bulk plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) metals are limited to providing information in two-dimension (2D) and do not allow for obtaining depth profile of the material. In this contribution, use of dual-beam focused ion-beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to investigate the internal microstructure of bulk Pu and U metals is demonstrated. Our results demonstrate that the dual-beam methodology optimally elucidate microstructural features without preparation artifacts, and the three-dimensional (3D) characterization of inner microstructures can reveal salient microstructural features that cannot be observed from conventional metallographic techniques. As a result, examples are shown to demonstrate the benefit of FIB-SEM in improving microstructural characterization of microscopic inclusions, particularly with respect to nuclear forensics.

Authors:

Chung, Brandon W. ^[1]; Erler, Robert G. ^[1]; Teslich, Nick E. ^[1]

Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Publication Date:: 2016-03-03

Research Org.:: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1324519

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1345244

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL-679680
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 473; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND RUEL MATERIALS; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY

Citation Formats


                    Chung, Brandon W., Erler, Robert G., and Teslich, Nick E. Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique.  United States: N. p., 2016. 
        Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041.

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                    Chung, Brandon W., Erler, Robert G., & Teslich, Nick E. Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique.  United States.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041.

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                    Chung, Brandon W., Erler, Robert G., and Teslich, Nick E. Thu .  
        "Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique".  United States.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1324519.

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@article{osti_1324519,

  title        = {Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique},

  author       = {Chung, Brandon W. and Erler, Robert G. and Teslich, Nick E.},

  abstractNote = {Nuclear forensics requires accurate quantification of discriminating microstructural characteristics of the bulk nuclear material to identify its process history and provenance. Conventional metallographic preparation techniques for bulk plutonium (Pu) and uranium (U) metals are limited to providing information in two-dimension (2D) and do not allow for obtaining depth profile of the material. In this contribution, use of dual-beam focused ion-beam/scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) to investigate the internal microstructure of bulk Pu and U metals is demonstrated. Our results demonstrate that the dual-beam methodology optimally elucidate microstructural features without preparation artifacts, and the three-dimensional (3D) characterization of inner microstructures can reveal salient microstructural features that cannot be observed from conventional metallographic techniques. As a result, examples are shown to demonstrate the benefit of FIB-SEM in improving microstructural characterization of microscopic inclusions, particularly with respect to nuclear forensics.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 473,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2016},

  month        = {3}

}

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DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041

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