Three-dimensional microstructural characterization of bulk plutonium and uranium metals using focused ion beam technique
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:
-
- 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:
- 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.
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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041
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. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.01.041. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1324519.
@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 = {Thu Mar 03 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Thu Mar 03 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}
Web of Science
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