Application of HRGS for forensic characterization of uranium oxides, pure uranium metals and uranium alloys

Journal Article · 25 August 2021 · Applied Radiation and Isotopes

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2021.109910 · OSTI ID:1863680

Burdeinyi, D.  ^[1]; Kutnii, D.  ^[1]; Levenets, V.  ^[1]; Turkin, A.  ^[1]; Marks, N. ^[2]; Lindvall, R. ^[2]; Treinen, K. ^[2]

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1. Kharkov Inst. of Physics and Technology, Kharkov (Ukraine). National Science Center
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

A nondestructive iterative method for uranium-bearing material characterization with HRGS developed earlier in (J. appl. Rad. Isotopes, 166 (2020) 109433) is applied to determine matrix densities and uranium isotope masses of a variety of uranium materials, namely uranium ore, UO₂ and U₃O₈ powders, fuel elements in the form of UO2 microspheres, uranium metal and uranium alloys. It is shown that U₃O₈ powders with uranium mass fraction of about 84% can be distinguished from the powders of UO₂ with uranium mass fraction of about 87%; uranium products in the form of liquid or loose powder with matrix density of 0.5-2.0 g/cm³ can be distinguished from uranium products in the form of compacted fuel elements with matrix density of 6.0-10.0 g/cm³ and from pure metal uranium and uranium alloys with matrix density of 14.0- 19.0 g/cm³. In fuel microspheres based on UO2 the uranium mass fraction 88.02% measured by HRGS is consistent, within the measurement uncertainties, with the results of isotope dilution mass spectrometry 87.76±0.64 % and also is confirmed by X-ray diffraction technique. The uranium mass fraction of the uranium ore estimated as 0.08% by HRGS is consistent, within the measurement uncertainties, with the value 0.09±0.01% determined with WDXRF. Densities of two different uranium metal samples, estimated as 18.42 g/cm³ and 19.33 g/cm³ by HRGS are consistent with values 18.24±0.55 g/cm³ and 18.86±0.59 g/cm³, respectively, obtained by the gas pycnometry technique.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-07NA27344
• OSTI ID: 1863680
• Report Number(s): LLNL-JRNL-833530; 1041405
• Journal Information: Applied Radiation and Isotopes, Journal Name: Applied Radiation and Isotopes Journal Issue: N/A Vol. 177; ISSN 0969-8043
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English