Raman identification and characterization of chemical components included in simulated nuclear fuel debris synthesized from uranium, stainless steel, and zirconium

Raman spectroscopy is a powerful technique for studying nuclear materials. However, it has been scarcely utilized for nuclear fuel debris. Here, we present a Raman study of several types of simulated nuclear debris synthesized from uranium, stainless steel, and zirconium to identify and characterize chemical components included in the simulated debris. Raman spectroscopy sensitively identified many kinds of chemical components: cubic UO₂, U₃O₈, (Fe,Cr)UO₄ (iron-chromium uranate), spinel oxides, monoclinic ZrO₂, tetragonal ZrO₂, and Zr₃O. Some details concerning the chemical states of each component included in the simulated debris were obtained (e.g. spinel oxides were suggested to consist of Fe, Cr, Ni, Zr, and U). The results obtained here will be helpful in the Raman analysis of actual nuclear debris, such that in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plants. (author)