Metallurgical sample preparation at the Institute of Reference Materials and Measurements

The Sample Preparation Group at IRMM provides targets for cross section measurements and fission fragment studies using the accelerators on site, and also supplies targets to collaborators and other users from universities and other nuclear centres. In addition, reactor dosimetry reference materials, flux monitor capsules and reactor temperature monitors are supplied to testing and power reactor facilities. The metallurgical activities in this field include a range of crucibleless and levitation melting techniques giving alloys of closely controlled composition and good homogeneity, facilities for foil and wire fabrication with inert atmosphere processing for reactive metals and high value isotopes and canning techniques including laser and electron beam welding. Many of these fabrication techniques are applied to actinide metals using equipment installed in glove boxes. Several techniques including spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption and gamma spectrometry are available for alloy characterization. (orig.)