Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
Page 29
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35
Page 36
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
Page 40
TechnologyADVANCING NUCLEAR ENERGY Pioneering nuclear research INL has expanded the limits of nuclear research by pioneering techniques for microscopic examination of irradiated materials. Lab experts demonstrated a sample preparation technique that makes it easier for researchers to examine irradiated fuel at the nanoscale. They demonstrated successful use of a focused ion beam to prepare an irradiated fuel sample for nanoscale investigation using a transmission electron microscope. This accomplishment revealed material behavior that suggests increased stability of a new type of reactor fuel. Lab researchers are also using a Local Electrode Atom Probe to study in atomic-level detail how materials respond to prolonged irradiation. This work can help researchers understand factors that may cause weaknesses in materials exposed to prolonged radiation inside a nuclear reactor. Such studies also can provide key information for computer models which need data on a fine scale to accurately represent fuels and materials behavior. 22