Application of bias correction methods to improve U3Si2 sample preparation for quantitative analysis by WDXRF

Abstract

The determination of silicon (Si), total uranium (U) and impurities in uranium-silicide (U3Si2) samples by wavelength dispersion X-ray fluorescence technique (WDXRF) has been already validated and is currently implemented at IPEN’s X-Ray Fluorescence Laboratory (IPEN-CNEN/SP) in São Paulo, Brazil. Sample preparation requires the use of approx-imately 3 g of H3BO3 as sample holder and 1.8 g of U3Si2. However, because boron is a neutron absorber, this proce-dure precludes the recovery of U3Si2 from the samples, preventing its use as nuclear fuel. Consequently, a significant amount of uranium is wasted in this process. An estimated average of 15 samples per month is expected to be analyzed by WDXRF, resulting in approx. 320 g of U3Si2 that wouldn’t return to the nuclear fuel cycle. The purpose of this paper is to present a new preparation method, replacing H3BO3 by cellulose acetate {[C6H7O2(OH)3-m(OOCCH3)m], m = 0~3}, thus enabling the recovery of the boron-free U3Si2 from the samples. The results demonstrate that the suggested sample preparation approach is statistically satisfactory, allowing the optimization of the procedure.