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April 26, 2021
from the University of Sheffield
On the 35th anniversary of one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters, new research has been released that could help contain and eliminate the most dangerous radioactive materials left at the Chernobyl site.
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The study conducted by Dr. Claire Corkhill, headed by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield, has applied a new approach to using ultralight X-rays to better understand the hazardous waste left in the nuclear reactor.
The technique delivers for the first time a proof of concept that the use of ultralight X-rays can provide rich chemical information about some of the most dangerous materials in Chernobyl and provide a safe method for analyzing those materials.
By using ultralight X-rays, the team was also able to forensically find out how nuclear fuel at the site turned into a lava-like substance immediately after the disaster, which has solidified in large masses and is hindering decommissioning efforts.
The most dangerous materials that remain in Chernobyl are so dangerous that only a very limited number from prob has been analyzed. This means that so far scientists have not been able to get a deep insight into their properties, which hinders efforts to contain or remove the materials safely in the disaster zone.
The researchers examined simulated Chernobyl material which is being used with state-of-the-art facilities in Sheffield Supporting the decommissioning and disposal of nuclear power plants was made using two of the brightest microscopes in the world – X-ray synchrotrons – in Switzerland and the USA. Here they were able to measure very small samples of their material and identify uranium-containing features that were one-twentieth the size of a human hair.
By creating 2D chemical images of these uranium features, the team was able to reconstruct the timeline of events that took place in the Moments immediately after the accident occurred during the formation of the molten nuclear fuel.
Testing the technique on the simulating Chernobyl material has provided the proof of concept that the method can be used to make real samples from Chernobyl safe like never before to analyze.
Dr. Claire Corkhill, EPSRC research fellow and reader at the University of Sheffield, said: « Like a forensic analysis of a crime scene, the chemical analysis of our simulants allowed us to put together the final moments of the core of Chernobyl fuel, which along with other components in the reactor too A volcanic-like lava melted. Our analyzes are consistent with the limited data available for real samples, which is extremely exciting. «
The level of detail achieved with these materials and techniques opens up a world of opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of these materials , which was previously not possible due to its high level of radioactivity. This is a necessity for the development of cleaning technologies for the ongoing decommissioning work in Chernobyl.
Dr. Corkhill added, « Understanding the formation and subsequent chemical behavior of these materials in the reactor over the past 35 years is key to building a complete understanding of nuclear fuel in disaster scenarios. Our study shows that this information can be obtained in extremely small quantities Samples that pave the way for the analysis of real meltdown fuels from Chernobyl and Fukushima. Using such small samples dramatically reduces the risk associated with their analysis and opens up extremely exciting opportunities to aid the cleanup process. »
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Ref: https://phys.org
