Two uranium powders seized by law enforcement in Victoria, Australia have been characterized by established nuclear forensic methods in a previously published study. Here, the results of further characterization by a scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM) operating in the soft X-ray regime are reported. STXM images are used to estimate the elemental distribution in micron-scale particles of each powder, and oxygen K-edge absorption spectra are used to determine the chemical state of uranium. The results of the current study are consistent with the previous analysis; the first powder is found to be a potassium-uranium hydrate, while the second powder is determined to be a mixture of uranium oxides primarily consisting of UO3.
Published: April 30, 2025
Citation
Pacold J.I., D.E. Smiles, M.W. Mara, J.D. Ward, D.K. Shuh, T. Tyliszczak, and M.J. Kristo, et al. 2025.Chemical speciation correlated with microstructural heterogeneity of interdicted uranium materials.Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A: International Journal Devoted to Vacuum, Surfaces, and Films 43, no. 3:Art. No. 032802.PNNL-SA-140444.doi:10.1116/6.0004526