The chemical and physical states of fission products can influence the oxygen potential of the fuel (chemical reactivity with cladding materials) and fuel swelling, respectively. Fission products can also affect fuel properties, such as its thermal conductivity and melting point. The release of gaseous fission products (xenon and krypton) can increase the pressure inside the fuel elements and contribute to the internal stresses on the cladding. Therefore, it is important to characterize the chemical and physical states of fission products in irradiated nuclear fuels. The microstructure, composition, chemical and physical states of fission products, including metal and oxide precipitates and fission gas bubbles in both irradiated ceramic and metallic fuels have been characterized using atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) equipped with super-X energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) systems and atom probe tomography at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) as well as synchrotron characterization techniques, including the submicron resolution X-ray spectroscopy (SRX) beamline at The National Synchrotron Light Source – II at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and the scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) at The Advanced Light Source (ALS) at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). These results further the fundamental understanding of fission products in ceramic and metallic nuclear fuels.

Advanced characterization of fission products in nuclear fuels

2019 Fall National Meeting

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