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DOE OSTI · 3019695

Development of PNNL’s Plutonium Metallography Capability

Royer, Jacqueline I. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]·Athon, Matthew T. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]·Barton, Dallin J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000151687250)·Yano, Kayla H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]·Swenson, Scott H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]·Cooper, Strother J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]·Sweet, Lucas E. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000260707521)·Olszta, Matthew J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000233437810)·Reilly, Dallas D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]
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Abstract

The goal of this project was to develop plutonium metallography capabilities and establish workflows for characterization at PNNL’s Radiological Processing Facility (RPL). Developing and expanding on this capability opens more opportunities for PNNL to better support science through collaborations with other labs, plants, and sites withing the Department of Energy Complex and through programs within the National Nuclear Security Administration. This project established metallography equipment in an air glovebox, polishing protocols, as well as radiological and facility controls and procedures so that gram quantities of plutonium metal could be analyzed on multiple characterization tools. Data was collected and analyzed on two different delta phase plutonium - Gallium samples and a calciothermically reduced alpha plutonium metal using a combination of optical and electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and atom probe tomography. This report highlights the metallography capabilities, some preliminary data collections, and plans at PNNL to support plutonium material science.

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY

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Royer, Jacqueline I. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)], Athon, Matthew T. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)], Barton, Dallin J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000151687250), Yano, Kayla H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)], Swenson, Scott H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)], Cooper, Strother J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)], Sweet, Lucas E. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000260707521), Olszta, Matthew J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)] (ORCID:0000000233437810), Reilly, Dallas D. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)]. 2026-01-31. Development of PNNL’s Plutonium Metallography Capability. https://doi.org/10.2172/3019695

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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗