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Martinson SP, Garcia JR, Haynes IW, Saini SP, Wagner ER, Long GR, Folden III CM, Chirayath SS. Nondestructive and destructive assay for forensics characterization of weapons-grade plutonium produced in LEU irradiated in a thermal neutron spectrum. ANN NUCL ENERGY 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anucene.2022.109645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Pagliano E, Keegan E, Varga Z, Nadeau K, Meija J, Wong H, Vardanega C, Wallenius M, Mayer K, Cochrane C, El-Jaby A, Mester Z. Determination of inorganic anions in uranium ore concentrate reference materials. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-023-08837-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe determination of inorganic anions in uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) is useful to nuclear forensics for establishing the provenance of sample materials. In this collaborative study, quantitation of inorganic anions was carried out on three UOC reference materials from the National Research Council Canada: UCLO-1 (https://doi.org/10.4224/crm.2020.uclo-1), UCHI-1 (https://doi.org/10.4224/crm.2020.uchi-1), and UPER-1 (https://doi.org/10.4224/crm.2020.uper-1). The analytes were extracted into water and characterized by ion chromatography with combined standard uncertainties (uc) between 1.6 and 11%. The highest contributor to uc was homogeneity. Sulfate was the most abundant anion (2000–12,000 mg/kg SO42−). Other anions were in the 15–500 mg/kg range.
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Pandelus SB, Kennedy BJ, Murphy G, Brand HE, Keegan E, Pring A, Popelka-Filcoff RS. Phase Analysis of Australian Uranium Ore Concentrates Determined by Variable Temperature Synchrotron Powder X-ray Diffraction. Inorg Chem 2021; 60:11569-11578. [PMID: 34293259 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c01562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The chemical speciation of uranium oxides is sensitive to the provenance of the samples and their storage conditions. Here, we use diffraction methods to characterize the phases found in three aged (>10 years) uranium ore concentrates of different origins as well as in situ analysis of the thermally induced structural transitions of these materials. The structures of the crystalline phases found in the three samples have been refined, using high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction data. Rietveld analysis of the samples from the Olympic Dam and Ranger uranium mines has revealed the presence of crystalline α-UO2(OH)2, together with metaschoepite (UO2)4O(OH)6·5H2O, in the aged U3O8 samples, and it is speculated that this forms as a consequence of the corrosion of U3O8 in the presence of metaschoepite. The third sample, from the Beverley uranium mine, contains the peroxide [UO2(η2-O2)(H2O)2] (metastudtite) together with α-UO2(OH)2 and metaschoepite. A core-shell model is proposed to account for the broadening of the diffraction peaks of the U3O8 evident in the samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha B Pandelus
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Brendan J Kennedy
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Gabriel Murphy
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.,ANSTO, Lucas Heights, Sydney, New South Wales 2234, Australia
| | - Helen E Brand
- Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton, Victoria 3168, Australia
| | | | - Allan Pring
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.,School of Physical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Rachel S Popelka-Filcoff
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia.,School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
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Spano TL, Shields AE, Barth BS, Gruidl JD, Niedziela JL, Kapsimalis RJ, Miskowiec A. Computationally Guided Investigation of the Optical Spectra of Pure β-UO3. Inorg Chem 2020; 59:11481-11492. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c01279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler L. Spano
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Ashley E. Shields
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Brianna S. Barth
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- University of Texas at Austin, Department of Chemistry, 105 East 24th Street, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Jeremiah D. Gruidl
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Jennifer L. Niedziela
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Roger J. Kapsimalis
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | - Andrew Miskowiec
- Nuclear Nonproliferation Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
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Schwerdt IJ, Hawkins CG, Taylor B, Brenkmann A, Martinson S, McDonald IV LW. Uranium oxide synthetic pathway discernment through thermal decomposition and morphological analysis. RADIOCHIM ACTA 2018. [DOI: 10.1515/ract-2018-3033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Many commercial processes exist for converting uranium from ore to the desired uranium compound for use in nuclear power or nuclear weapons. Accurately determining the processing history of the uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) and their calcination products, can greatly aid a nuclear forensics investigation of unknown or interdicted nuclear materials. In this study, two novel forensic signatures, based on nuclear materials synthesis, were pursued. Thermogravimetric analysis – mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) was utilized for its ability to discern UOCs based on mass changes and evolved gas species; while scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in conjunction with particle segmentation, was performed to identify microfeatures present in the calcination and reduction products (i.e. UO3, U3O8, and UO2) that are unique to the starting UOC. In total, five UOCs from common commercial processing routes including: ammonium diuranate (ADU), uranyl peroxide (UO4), sodium diuranate (SDU), uranyl hydroxide (UH), and ammonium uranyl carbonate (AUC), were synthesized from uranyl nitrate solutions. Samples of these materials were calcined in air at 400 °C and 800 °C. The 800 °C calcination product was subsequently reduced with hydrogen gas at 510 °C. The starting UOCs were investigated using TGA-MS; while SEM quantitative morphological analysis was used to identify signatures in the calcination products. Powder X-ray diffractometry (p-XRD) was used to identify the composition of each UOC and the subsequent calcination products. TGA-MS of the starting UOCs indicate temperature-dependent dehydration, volatilization, and reduction events that were unique to each material; thus making this a quantifiable signature of the initial material in the processing history. In addition, p-XRD, in conjunction with quantitative morphological analysis, was capable of discriminating calcination products of each processing history at the 99 % confidence level. Quantifying these nuclear material properties, enables nuclear forensics scientists to better identify the origin of unknown or interdicted nuclear materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian J. Schwerdt
- University of Utah , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Nuclear Engineering Program , 201 Presidents Circle, 110 Central Campus Dr. Suite 2000 , Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA
| | - Casey G. Hawkins
- University of Utah , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Nuclear Engineering Program , 201 Presidents Circle, 110 Central Campus Dr. Suite 2000 , Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA
| | - Bryan Taylor
- University of Utah , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Nuclear Engineering Program , 201 Presidents Circle, 110 Central Campus Dr. Suite 2000 , Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA
| | - Alexandria Brenkmann
- University of Utah , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Nuclear Engineering Program , 201 Presidents Circle, 110 Central Campus Dr. Suite 2000 , Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA
| | - Sean Martinson
- University of Utah , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Nuclear Engineering Program , 201 Presidents Circle, 110 Central Campus Dr. Suite 2000 , Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA
| | - Luther W. McDonald IV
- University of Utah , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering-Nuclear Engineering Program , 201 Presidents Circle, 110 Central Campus Dr. Suite 2000 , Salt Lake City, UT 84112 , USA , Phone: +801-581-7768
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Schwerdt IJ, Brenkmann A, Martinson S, Albrecht BD, Heffernan S, Klosterman MR, Kirkham T, Tasdizen T, McDonald IV LW. Nuclear proliferomics: A new field of study to identify signatures of nuclear materials as demonstrated on alpha-UO3. Talanta 2018; 186:433-444. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.04.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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