Irradiated Materials Characterization Lab
Lab Location
Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
Idaho Falls, Idaho
Associate Lab Director
Ronald A. Crone
Expertise & Research
IMCL is Hazard Category 2 nuclear facility that focuses on microstructural, thermal, and mechanical characterization of irradiated nuclear fuels and materials. IMCL’s unique design incorporates advanced characterization instruments that are sensitive to vibration, temperature, and electromagnetic interference into modular radiological shielding and confinement systems. The shielded instruments allow characterization of highly radioactive fuels and materials at the micro, nano, and atomic levels, the scale at which irradiation damage processes occur.
Scheduling & Contracting Work
Please contact Dick Sevier (dicksevier@boisestate.edu, 208.426.1022) to discuss work you would like done in this lab.
| Asset | Mfr and Model | Field | Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shielded Sample Prep Hot Cell | Custom | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Sample prep of nuclear fuels |
| Glove Box and Hood for Rad Materials | Custom | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Sample prep of nuclear fuels |
| Precision Gamma Scanner | |||
| Remote Handling Manipulators | Custom | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Sample prep of nuclear fuels |
| Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA) | Cameca SX100-R | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Characterize the migration and redistribution of fuel constituents and fission products, fission product radial profiles for burnup, plutonium and other actinide agglomeration, and fuel-cladding chemical interaction |
| Shielded Focused Ion Beam (FIB) with Dual Beam | FEI QUANTA 3D FEG | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | |
| Field Emission Gun Scanning / Transmission Electron Microscope (FEG-STEM ) | FEI Titan Themis ChemiSTEM 200 | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Analysis of irradiated materials at the atomic level. |
| Shielded dual-beam SEM/plasma FIB | FEI Helios | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | 3D analysis of irradiated materials at the atomic level. |
| Shielded Optical Microscope | Keyence VHX 4000 | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Up to 1000X magnification to provide information on surface finish and defect location prior to electron microscopy |
| Benchtop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) | JEOL Neoscope JCM-5000 | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | For use with rad materials with resolution to 3-4 nm. Can dermine elemental composition of samples with EDS module. |
| X-ray Diffractometer | Panalytical Empyrean | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | |
| Micro X-Ray Diffractometer | Bruker D8 Discover | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | |
| Saws for Rad Material | Buehler Isomet l | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Analyzing mechanical properties of fuel materials and related components |
| Grinder-polishers for Rad Material | Buehler MiniMet 1000 | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Sample prep of nuclear fuels |
| Microhardness Tester for Rad Materials | Leco LM247AT | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | Mechanical testing of nuclear fuel samples |
| To Be Installed in 2019 | |||
| Micro Computed Tomography (C-T) System | Zeiss Xradia 520 Versa | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | |
| Field Electron Gun Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG- SEM) | JEOL 7600 | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | |
| Physical Property Measurement System | Quantum Design DynaCool 9 | Nuclear Fuels Characterization | |
| Shielded Thermal Property Cell - Laser Flash Thermal Diffusivity (LFTD), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Thermal Conductivity Microscope (TCM) | Nuclear Fuels Characterization |