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| Hauptseite > Publikationsdatenbank > Production and Characterization of Uranium Oxide Microparticle Reference Materials for Nuclear Safeguards Applications |
| Hauptseite > Publikationsdatenbank > Production and Characterization of Uranium Oxide Microparticle Reference Materials for Nuclear Safeguards Applications |
| Poster (Other) | FZJ-2015-05888 |
; ;
2015
Abstract: In order to verify non-nuclear weapon states to comply with the non-proliferation treaty, international authorities such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducts inspections at facilities handling fissile or fertile nuclear materials, such as uranium. During these inspections, environmental swipe samples are taken and sent to the IAEA’s network of analytical laboratories (NWAL) for analysis. Analysis of microparticles collected on these swipes by mass spectrometric methods such as secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) provides a means to detect clandestine undeclared activities.There are, however, no relevant (certified) reference materials available that can be used as calibration or quality control standards. Therefore, a system has been constructed at Forschungszentrum Jülich for the production of mono-disperse uranium microparticles with accurately characterized isotopic compositions and elemental contents. First microparticle samples have been prepared successfully and are currently being investigated.First microparticles have been prepared successfully and have been characterized by various methods, including FIB milling to characterize the inner particle structure. Particles have been prepared using various precursor solutions, such as uranyl nitrate and uranyl acetate, to investigate the effect of the precursor solution on the final particle morphology and chemical form.ISO Guide 34 states that for the certification of materials as (certified) reference materials, quantification of the inhomogeneity and stability of property values is of high importance. Since some between-bottle inhomogeneity is likely to occur during production, homogenization of the particles in a suspension is considered before characterization. However, during such a step, isotope exchange between uranium of the microparticles and natural uranium in the liquid might significantly alter the isotopic composition of the microparticles. Therefore, experiments are performed to determine the rate of exchange between both uranium trioxide and triuranium octoxide and uranyl ions in an aqueous solution.
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