Measurement of the spatial thickness and uniformity of thin coatings applied by co-rolling and/or plasma-spraying methods is an important issue in process optimization and quality control for precision large-area components such as next-generation nuclear fuel plates for test and research reactors. Unfortunately, there is currently no rapid, nondestructive means to assess the thickness of thin coatings over the entire surface area of a fuel foil or other known substrate. For metallic coatings and substrates, an energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) technique was employed to measure coating thicknesses in the range of 10 – 75 μm (0.0004 – 0.0030”). The technique requires a substrate and coating of known composition with at least one unique element in each layer that does not appear in the other layer. At each geometric location, the spectral intensities at a particular fluorescent line are measured for the chosen elements. With appropriate calibration, the ratio of peak intensities is used to calculate the coating thickness at the location sampled. The method was successfully applied to map zirconium diffusion barrier coatings on 24” – 48” rolled and plasma-sprayed U-10Mo foil samples and to study the effects of variations in the hot/cold-rolling schedule on the final zirconium diffusion barrier coating thickness.

Mapping of the spatial distribution of thin coatings using x-ray fluorescence (XRF)

251st National Meeting (2016)

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