Reaserch Progress of Uranium-Bearing Particle Analysis Technology

Abstract

Uranium-bearing particle analysis is an important technology in the field of nuclear safeguards. In uranium-related nuclear activities, especially in the processes of uranium enrichment, uranium-bearing aerosols are unavoidable released into the environment. There are significant differences between the uranium particles formed by uranium-bearing aerosols after drying and that from nature in terms of isotopic ratio, elemental composition, and impurity composition. Therefore, we can provide a judgment basis for the monitoring of nuclear facilities and activities by analyzing the characteristic information of micrometer or submicron sized uranium-bearing particle. After nearly 30 years of development, some relatively mature methods for the analysis of uranium-bearing particles have been developed. In this review, the process of particle analysis including sample collection, preliminary screen, particle recovery, identification and localization, and measurement is briefly introduced. The advantages and disadvantages of the commonly used technical in each process are compared. At the same time, according to the different purposes of analysis, uranium-bearing particle analysis is divided into three research directions: uranium isotope analysis, morphology and elemental composition analysis, and age-dating. Recent progress of each direction is discussed. Finally, based on the progress of the research, combined with the Development and Implementation Support Program for Nuclear Verification of the IAEA, the future research direction of uranium-bearing particle analysis technology is prospected.

Keywords

• nuclear safeguards
• uranium
• particle analysis