DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Laboratory-Based Micro-X-ray Computed Tomography of Energy Materials at Idaho National Laboratory

Journal Article · · JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) has implemented laboratory-based micro-X-ray computed tomography in a laboratory equipped for the examination of highly radioactive samples. This capability provides nondestructive three-dimensional volumetric information on samples to inform subsequent traditional destructive examinations as well as real-world inputs for high-fidelity scientific modeling. Samples can be imaged with spatial resolutions ranging from several hundred nm/voxel up to ~ 100 µm/voxel. The best usable spatial resolution achieved to date is 384 nm/voxel with this instrument, while the highest radiological dose rate of a sample imaged is ~ 60 R/h β/γ on contact. Advanced data analysis, including custom tomographic reconstruction and segmentation methods, have also been developed to support this capability. In addition to traditional digital X-ray radiography and tomography, this instrument is also able to visualize in situ tensile and compression testing as well as perform diffraction contrast tomography. This work describes the X-ray computed tomography post-irradiation examination capabilities at INL, as well as detailing a variety of applications this instrument has examined.

Research Organization:
Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC07-05ID14517
OSTI ID:
2482580
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU--24-77365-Rev001
Journal Information:
JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society, Journal Name: JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 77; ISSN 1047-4838; ISSN 1543-1851
Publisher:
SpringerCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (103)

High-Resolution Microfocus X-Ray Computed Tomography for 3D Surface Roughness Measurements of Additive Manufactured Porous Materials journal October 2012
Unlocking Failure Mechanisms and Improvement of Practical Li–S Pouch Cells through In Operando Pressure Study journal December 2021
On the Use of X-ray Computed Tomography in Assessment of 3D-Printed Components journal September 2020
Image fusion for neutron tomography of nuclear fuel journal September 2022
Analysis and Artifact Correction for Volume Correlation Measurements Using Tomographic Images from a Laboratory X-ray Source journal August 2010
Microstructural Characterization of AA6061 Versus AA6061 HIP Bonded Cladding–Cladding Interface journal April 2018
High-density, low-enriched uranium fuel for nuclear research reactors journal September 2003
Corrosion of Structural Alloys in High-Temperature Molten Fluoride Salts for Applications in Molten Salt Reactors journal June 2018
Interplay Between Grain Boundaries and Radiation Damage journal March 2019
A Forward Modeling Approach to High-Reliability Grain Mapping by Laboratory Diffraction Contrast Tomography (LabDCT) journal May 2019
Advanced Acquisition Strategies for Lab-Based Diffraction Contrast Tomography journal February 2022
Post-irradiation examination of the Sirius-1 nuclear thermal propulsion fuel test journal November 2023
Three-dimensional analysis of grain topology and interface curvature in a β-titanium alloy journal September 2010
Materials challenges in nuclear energy journal February 2013
Laser powder-bed fusion additive manufacturing: Physics of complex melt flow and formation mechanisms of pores, spatter, and denudation zones journal April 2016
Molten salt for advanced energy applications: A review journal May 2022
Topography of selectively laser melted surfaces: A comparison of different measurement methods journal January 2017
Going nuclear for climate mitigation: An analysis of the cost effectiveness of preserving existing U.S. nuclear power plants as a carbon avoidance strategy journal July 2017
Multi-level X-ray computed tomography (XCT) investigations of commercial lithium-ion batteries from cell to particle level journal August 2023
On the mechanical behaviour of titanium alloy TiAl6V4 manufactured by selective laser melting: Fatigue resistance and crack growth performance journal March 2013
Materials corrosion in molten LiF–NaF–KF salt journal January 2009
Post-irradiation examination of uranium–7wt% molybdenum atomized dispersion fuel journal October 2004
Transmission electron microscopy investigation of irradiated U–7wt%Mo dispersion fuel journal April 2008
Transmission electron microscopy characterization of irradiated U–7Mo/Al–2Si dispersion fuel journal January 2010
A review of TRISO fuel performance models journal October 2010
Non-destructive studies of fuel pellets by neutron resonance absorption radiography and thermal neutron radiography journal September 2013
Swelling of U-7Mo/Al-Si dispersion fuel plates under irradiation – Non-destructive analysis of the AFIP-1 fuel plates journal August 2016
Measurement of kernel swelling and buffer densification in irradiated UCO-TRISO particles journal April 2017
Microstructure of as atomized and annealed U-Mo7 particles: A SEM/EBSD study of grain growth journal November 2017
Thermal conductivity of fresh and irradiated U-Mo fuels journal May 2018
Coated particle fuel: Historical perspectives and current progress journal March 2019
Postirradiation Examination of FUTURIX-FTA metallic alloy experiments journal March 2019
Effect of homogenization and hot rolling on the mechanical properties, microstructure and corrosion behavior of U–10Mo monolithic fuel journal December 2019
Post-irradiation examinations of annular mixed oxide fuels with average burnup 4 and 5% FIMA journal May 2020
Morphological characterization of the fresh ZrN coated UMo powders used in EMPIrE irradiation experiment: A practical approach journal May 2020
Method for measurement of TRISO kernel and layer volumes by X-ray computed tomography journal October 2020
Non-Destructive post-irradiation examination results of the first modern fueled experiments in TREAT journal December 2020
α-U and ω-UZr2 in neutron irradiated U-10Zr annular metallic fuel journal December 2020
Architecture and properties of TCR fuel form journal April 2021
Impact of neutron irradiation on the thermophysical properties of additively manufactured stainless steel and inconel journal June 2021
Understanding the local thermal conductivity evolution of neutron irradiated U3Si2 dispersion fuel via state-of-the-art thermo-reflectance measurements journal December 2021
Post-irradiation characterization of a high burnup mixed oxide fuel rod with minor actinides journal April 2022
3D analysis of TRISO fuel compacts via X-ray computed tomography journal July 2022
The effect of temperature and burnup on U-10Zr metallic fuel chemical interaction with HT-9: A SEM-EDS study journal April 2024
4D analysis of the microstructural evolution of Si-based electrodes during lithiation: Time-lapse X-ray imaging and digital volume correlation journal July 2016
Non-destructive characterization of additively manufactured components with x-ray computed tomography for part qualification: A study with laboratory and synchrotron x-rays journal March 2021
Directed energy deposition (DED) additive manufacturing: Physical characteristics, defects, challenges and applications journal October 2021
Micro X-ray computed tomography examination of mini plate fuel with hot isostatic pressed aluminum cladding journal December 2023
Imaging and measuring methods for coating layer thickness of TRISO-coated fuel particles with high accuracy journal April 2013
Synchrotron phase-contrast CT to segment the structure boundaries of a TRISO-coated particle journal April 2019
Microstructural characteristics of a fresh U(Mo) monolithic mini-plate: Focus on the Zr coating deposited by PVD journal August 2021
Channel Gap Measurements of Irradiated Plate Fuel and Comparison with Post-Irradiation Plate Thickness journal June 2023
Non-destructive analysis of nuclear fuel by means of thermal and cold neutrons
  • Lehmann, E. H.; Vontobel, P.; Hermann, A.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 515, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2003.07.059
journal December 2003
Neutron imaging—detector options and practical results
  • Lehmann, Eberhard H.; Vontobel, P.; Frei, G.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 531, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2004.06.010
journal September 2004
On the possibility to investigate irradiated fuel pins non-destructively by digital neutron radiography with a neutron-sensitive microchannel plate detector with Timepix readout
  • Tremsin, A. S.; Craft, A. E.; Papaioannou, G. C.
  • Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 927 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2019.02.012
journal May 2019
Structural materials for next generation nuclear systems: Challenges and the path forward journal December 2015
Initial examination of fuel compacts and TRISO particles from the US AGR-2 irradiation test journal April 2018
New method for analysis of X-ray computed tomography scans of TRISO fuel forms journal February 2020
Integrating fiber optic sensors into metallic components for sensing in harsh environments journal March 2024
Neutron Radiography of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel at Idaho National Laboratory journal January 2015
Conversion from Film to Image Plates for Transfer Method Neutron Radiography of Nuclear Fuel journal January 2017
Corrosion in the molten fluoride and chloride salts and materials development for nuclear applications journal August 2018
The molten salt reactor (MSR) in generation IV: Overview and perspectives journal November 2014
Post irradiation examination of nuclear fuel: Toward a complete analysis journal September 2016
Methodology for ultrasonic inspection of dispersion type U–Mo fuel plates journal December 2020
Hall–Petch relation and boundary strengthening journal October 2004
The ASTRA Toolbox: A platform for advanced algorithm development in electron tomography journal October 2015
Diffraction Contrast Tomography in the Laboratory – Applications and Future Directions journal June 2016
The Beer-Lambert Law journal July 1962
U1 snRNP regulates cancer cell migration and invasion in vitro journal January 2020
Completing the picture through correlative characterization journal June 2019
Achieving Radiation Tolerance through Non-Equilibrium Grain Boundary Structures journal September 2017
X-ray computed tomography journal February 2021
Irradiation-induced grain growth and defect evolution in nanocrystalline zirconia with doped grain boundaries journal January 2016
Investigating the evolving microstructure of lithium metal electrodes in 3D using X-ray computed tomography journal January 2017
Unraveling irradiation induced grain growth with in situ transmission electron microscopy and coordinated modeling journal November 2015
Examining the influence of grain size on radiation tolerance in the nanocrystalline regime journal April 2018
TREAT Restart Project journal April 2019
Transient Reactor Test (TREAT) Facility Design and Experiment Capability journal May 2019
Performance Testing of Dysprosium-Based Scintillation Screens and Demonstration of Digital Transfer Method Neutron Radiography of Highly Radioactive Samples journal June 2021
Assessing rechargeable batteries with 3D X-ray microscopy, computed tomography, and nanotomography journal May 2022
Electron back-scattering patterns—A new technique for obtaining crystallographic information in the scanning electron microscope journal May 1973
Understanding creep behaviors of additively manufactured 316L stainless steel via void characterization journal September 2023
The Deformation and Ageing of Mild Steel: III Discussion of Results journal September 1951
Neutron radiography journal October 1956
X-ray computed tomography for additive manufacturing: a review journal June 2016
Full-field hard x-ray microscopy below 30 nm: a challenging nanofabrication achievement journal August 2008
Laminography in the lab: imaging planar objects using a conventional x-ray CT scanner journal February 2019
The history and future of X-ray microscopy journal September 2009
The 1979 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine journal January 1980
Comparison of density measurement techniques for additive manufactured metallic parts journal August 2011
3D printing of high‐purity silicon carbide journal October 2019
Application of X-ray microcomputed tomography in the characterization of irradiated nuclear fuel and material specimens: X-RAY MICROTOMOGRAPHY FOR NUCLEAR MATERIAL CHARACTERIZATION journal August 2015
Visualization and Quantification of Electrochemical and Mechanical Degradation in Li Ion Batteries journal October 2013
Grain growth journal November 1990
Electron backscatter diffraction and orientation imaging microscopy journal January 1997
Materials Challenges for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems journal June 2008
Fabrication of Monolithic RERTR Fuels by Hot Isostatic Pressing journal November 2010
Fast and flexible X-ray tomography using the ASTRA toolbox journal January 2016
Neutron Imaging Facilities in a Global Context journal November 2017
Measuring Thickness-Dependent Relative Light Yield and Detection Efficiency of Scintillator Screens journal June 2020
Effect of Porosity on Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Polymers: Experiments and Micromechanical Modeling Based on X-Ray Computed Tomography Analysis journal July 2019
Measurement of Ballooning Gap Size of Irradiated Fuels Using Neutron Radiography Transfer Method and HV Image Filter journal April 2013