About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Spectroscopic Methods and Analysis for Nuclear Energy Related Materials
|
| Presentation Title |
Surface-Sensitive X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy for Investigating Corrosion Mechanisms in Actinide Metals |
| Author(s) |
Arjen van Veelen, Geronimo Robles, Joshua T White, Najeb Abdul-Jabbar |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Arjen van Veelen |
| Abstract Scope |
Total electron yield (TEY) X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) provides nanometer-scale surface sensitivity for probing the local atomic structure of corrosion products. We are developing a TEY XAS methodology to investigate corrosion mechanisms in actinide metals. As a model system, zirconium metal was corroded in air and steam to produce distinct oxide structures. TEY XAS distinguishes differences in local coordination and oxidation pathways associated with these corrosion environments, demonstrating its ability to resolve surface corrosion products that are difficult to characterize using conventional bulk-sensitive techniques. The methodology was subsequently applied to uranium metal corrosion, providing atomic-scale structural information from the near-surface corrosion layer. Together, these studies establish TEY XAS as a powerful approach for investigating early-stage corrosion in actinide metals and provide the experimental foundation for future studies of plutonium corrosion, ultimately supporting the development of predictive corrosion and oxidation models. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Characterization, Nuclear Materials, Other |