X-ray fluorescence microtomography study of trace elements in a SiC nuclear fuel shell

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 312; no. 2; pp. 146 - 155
• Main Authors: Naghedolfeizi, M, Chung, J.-S, Morris, R, Ice, G.E, Yun, W.B, Cai, Z, Lai, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.02.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: ADVANCED PHOTON SOURCE; Applied sciences; ELEMENTS; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; FLUORESCENCE; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; NUCLEAR FUELS; TRACE AMOUNTS; I0100; A0700; F0700; N0100; X0100; Trace element; Silicon carbide; X ray fluorescence; Tomography; Nuclear fuel; Gas cooled reactor; Nuclear reactor
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3115(02)01681-1

X-ray fluorescence microtomography has been used to measure the trace element spatial distribution in a TRISO SiC shell after exposure to 1.9×10 25 neutrons/m 2. The bare SiC shell was prepared by laser drilling the TRISO particle and leaching away the core and C. The exposed shell was measured with an X-ray probe having a size of approximately 1×3 μm 2 on beamline 2-ID at the Advanced Photon Source. The trace element distribution in the SiC shell was reconstructed after correcting the data for artifacts arising from absorption and experimental restrictions. The trace elements were found in small (<2 μm) regions through the SiC shell and appear to have been introduced during fabrication. X-ray fluorescence microtomography is an ideal tool for this work because it is a penetrating non-destructive probe with good sensitivity to high Z trace elements in a low Z matrix and because it provides a picture of the elemental distribution in the shell.