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Here we report the results of multiple analytical techniques on sub-mm particulate material derived from Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant to provide a better understanding of the events that occurred and the environmental legacy. Through combined x-ray fluorescence and absorption contrast micro-focused x-ray tomography, entrapped U particulate are observed to exist around the exterior circumference of the highly porous Si-based particle. Further synchrotron radiation analysis of a number of these entrapped particles shows them to exist as UO2—identical to reactor fuel, with confirmation of their nuclear origin shown via mass spectrometry analysis. While unlikely to represent an environmental or health hazard, such assertions would likely change should break-up of the Si-containing bulk particle occur. However, more important to the long-term decommissioning of the reactors at the FDNPP (and environmental clean-upon), is the knowledge that core integrity of reactor Unit 1 was compromised with nuclear material existing outside of the reactors primary containment., The larger particulates from reactor Unit 1 of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant have received sparse attention compared to the Unit 2 particulate. Here the authors perform the higher-resolution and 3-dimentional analysis of several high-density micron-scale fragments, from within a larger Unit 1-derived representative ejecta particle.

Decommissioning of the damaged Chernobyl nuclear reactor Unit 4 is a top priority for the global community. Before such operations begin, it is crucial to understand the behaviour of the hazardous materials formed during the accident. Since those materials formed under extreme and mostly unquantified conditions, modelling alone is insufficient to accurately predict their physical, chemical and, predominantly, mechanical behaviour. Meanwhile, knowledge of the mechanical characteristics of those materials, such as their strength, is a priority before robotic systems are employed for retrieval and the force expected from them to be exerted is one of the key design questions. In this paper we target to measurement of the standard mechanical properties of the materials formed during the accident by testing small-scale, low radioactivity simulants. A combined methodology using Hertzian indentation, synchrotron X-ray tomography and digital volume correlation (DVC), was adopted to estimate the mechanical properties. Displacement fields around the Hertzian indentation, performed in-situ in a synchrotron, were measured by analysing tomograms with DVC. The load applied during the indentation, combined with full-field displacement measured by DVC was used to estimate the mechanical properties, such as Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of these hazardous materials.

The appraisal is strongly focussed on challenges associated with the nuclear sector, however these are representative of what is generally encountered by a range of engineering applications. Ensuring structural integrity of key nuclear plant components is essential for both safe and economic operation. Structural integrity assessments require knowledge of the mechanical and physical properties of materials, together with an understanding of mechanisms that can limit the overall operating life. With improved mechanistic understanding comes the ability to develop predictive models of the service life of components. Such models often require parameters which can be provided only by characterisation of processes occurring in situ over a range of scales, with the sub-micrometre-scale being particularly important, but also challenging. This appraisal reviews the techniques currently available to characterise microstructural features at the nanometre to micrometre length-scale that can be used to elucidate mechanisms that lead to the early stages of environmentally-assisted crack formation and subsequent growth. Following an appraisal of the techniques and their application, there is a short discussion and consideration for future opportunities., Measurement techniques; environmentally assisted cracking; steel; length scale; nuclear reactor; Materials Characterization; Nuclear Engineering; Materials Science; Materials Property; Corrosion; Materials Structure

Both the three-dimensional internal structure and elemental distribution of near-field radioactive fallout particulate material released during the March 2011 accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is analysed using combined high-resolution laboratory and synchrotron radiation x-ray techniques. Results from this study allow for the proposition of the likely formation mechanism of the particles, as well as the potential risks associated with their existence in the environment, and the likely implications for future planned reactor decommissioning. A suite of particles is analyzed from a locality 2 km from the north-western perimeter of the site – north of the primary contaminant plume in an area formerly attributed to being contaminated by fallout from reactor Unit 1. The particles are shown to exhibit significant structural similarities; being amorphous with a textured exterior, and containing inclusions of contrasting compositions, as well as an extensive internal void volume – bimodal in its size distribution. A heterogeneous distribution of the various elemental constituents is observed inside a representative particle, which also exhibited a Fukushima-derived radiocesium (134Cs, 135Cs and 137Cs) signature with negligible natural Cs. We consider the structure and composition of the particle to suggest it formed from materials associated with the reactor Unit 1 building explosion, with debris fragments embedded into the particles surface. Such a high void ratio, comparable to geological pumice, suggests such material formed during a rapid depressurisation and is potentially susceptible to fragmentation through attrition.

WOS: 000486132800032, PubMed: 31233985, This study describes the construction of highly-sensitive photo-electrochemical (PEC) immunosensor for the detection of neuron-specific enolase (NSE). The biosensing platform is comprised of photo-active NiWO4 nanostructures, in-situ-grown over a conductive substrate (indium tin oxide) using a low-temperature template-based co-precipitation approach. The discussed approach enables the formation of discrete, yet morphologically-analogous, nanostructures with complete coverage (pinhole-free) of the electrode surface. The in-situ-grown nanostructure possess dense population with sharp saw-blade like morphological features that can support substantial immobilisation of anti-NSE agent. The constructed platform demonstrated excellent photo-catalytic activity towards uric acid (UA) which served as the base for the Electrochemical -mechanism (EC) based PEC inhibition sensing. The detection of NSE, relied on its obstruction in analytical signal observed for the photo-oxidation of UA after binding to the electrode surface via protein-antibody interaction. The constructed PEC immunosensor exhibits signal sensitivity up to 0.12 ng mL(-1) of NSE with excellent signal reproducibility and electrode replicability. Moreover, the constructed platform was successfully used for NSE determination in human serum samples.

Commercial graphites are used for a wide range of applications. For example, Gilsocarbon graphite is used within the reactor core of advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGRs, UK) as a moderator. In service, the mechanical properties of the graphite are changed as a result of neutron irradiation induced defects and porosity arising from radiolytic oxidation. In this paper, we discuss measurements undertaken of mechanical properties at the micro-length-scale for virgin and irradiated graphite. These data provide the necessary inputs to an experimentally-informed model that predicts the deformation and fracture properties of Gilsocarbon graphite at the centimetre length-scale, which is commensurate with laboratory test specimen data. The model predictions provide an improved understanding of how the mechanical properties and fracture characteristics of this type of graphite change as a result of exposure to the reactor service environment.

Understanding the corrosion susceptibility of Magnox alloys during short- and long-term storage in moist air is important. Corrosion of Magnox AL80, Magnox ZR55 and magnesium has been studied in air containing water partial pressures between 200 vppm and ∼80000 vppm, at temperatures of 46 °C–96 °C. Specimens were exposed to air, with and without CO 2 , and argon gas. Metal consumption rates were measured and corrosion products characterised, using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray microanalysis, x-ray diffraction and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Results show the importance of CO 2 gas for suppressing breakaway corrosion in moist air.

The present study describes the synthesis of highly active and ordered structures of nickel nanocatalysts by a facile, green, and economically viable approach. The study reveals efficient catalytic activity for the degradation of a number of toxic organic dyes, such as eosin-B (EB), rose bengal (RB), eriochrome black-T (ECBT), and methylene blue (MB). The stable ordered nickel nanostructure (Ni NSs) arrays were prepared via a modified hydrazine reduction route with unique and controlled morphologies in a lyotropic liquid crystalline medium using a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100). Characterization and optimization studies for the fabricated Ni NSs involving their surface binding interactions, size, and morphologies were carried out using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

This study reports the synthesis and characterization of nano-scale zero-valent iron in the presence of kaolinite clay (nZVI-kaol). The adsorbent, nZVI-kaol, was produced at initial Fe:kaolinite mass ratios of 1:1, 0.5:1, and 0.2:1. The presence of kaolinite resulted in decreased aggregation of iron nanoparticles, yielding composites with iso-electric points (IEPs) around 6.7–7.0. The reduction in Fe2+ precursor concentration appeared to decrease further the extent of aggregation and the size of individual nZVI particles. The synthesized nZVI-kaol materials were then tested for the removal of aqueous Cu2+ and Co2+ ions. The investigated parameters in the uptake experiments included volume/mass (V/M) ratio, initial concentrations of Cu2+ and Co2+ ions, contact time, pH, and repetitive application of the adsorbent. The adsorbents demonstrated high removal abilities towards both cations under the investigated conditions. Repetitive loading tests showed that significant removal could still be achieved at small concentrations by samples reused several times. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis showed that while Co2+ was mainly fixed by the oxyhydroxyl groups of iron nanoparticles, Cu2+ ions were fixed by a redox mechanism, leading to the formation of Cu2O and Cu0., İzmir Institute of Technology

Physical wear of orthopedic implants is inevitable. CoCr alloy samples, typically used in joint reconstruction, corrode rapidly after removal of the protective oxide layer. The behavior of CoCr pellets immersed in human serum, foetal bovine serum (FBS), synovial fluid, albumin in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), EDTA in PBS, and water were studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS). The difference in the corrosive nature of human serum, water, albumin in PBS and synovial fluid after 5 days of immersion was highlighted by the oxide layer, which was respectively 15, 3.5, 1.5, and 1.5 nm thick. The thickness of an additional calcium phosphate deposit from human serum and synovial fluid was 40 and 2 nm, respectively. Co and Cr ions migrated from the bulk metal surface and were trapped in this deposit by the phosphate anion. This may account for the composition of wear debris from CoCr orthopedic implants, which is known to consist predominantly of hydroxy-phosphate compounds. Known components of synovial fluid including proteoglycans, pyrophosphates, phospholipids, lubricin, and superficial zone protein (SZP), have been identified as possible causes for the lack of significant calcium phosphate deposition in this environment. Circulation of these compounds around the whole implant may inhibit calcium phosphate deposition.

X-ray photoelectron spectrum of the electrochemically prepared polypyrrole and polypyrrole-polyamide composite films exhibit an additional strong high binding energy peak at 402.0 eV corresponding to N+ moieties. Intensity of this peak is significantly reduced upon electrochemical reduction. Atomic concentrations derived from the observed N+ and F (stemming from the dopant BF4-) peaks reveal a slightly higher cation/anion ratio for this composite and suggest that the composite has a different chemical composition than the corresponding polymers. © 1995 Elsevier Science B.V.