Raman spectroscopy for analysis of thorium compounds

Yin-Fong Su; Timothy J. Johnson; Khris B. Olsen

doi:10.1117/12.2224688

12 May 2016 Raman spectroscopy for analysis of thorium compounds

Yin-Fong Su, Timothy J. Johnson, Khris B. Olsen

Proceedings Volume 9824, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XVII; 982415 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2224688
Event: SPIE Defense + Security, 2016, Baltimore, MD, United States

Abstract

The thorium fuel cycle is an alternative to the uranium fuel cycle in that when ²³²Th is irradiated with neutrons it is converted to ²³³U, another fissile isotope. There are several chemical forms of thorium which are used in the Th fuel cycle. Recently, Raman spectroscopy has become a very portable and facile analytical technique useful for many applications, including e.g. determining the chemical composition of different materials such as for thorium compounds. The technique continues to improve with the development of ever-more sensitive instrumentation and better software. Using a laboratory Fourier-transform (FT)-Raman spectrometer with a 785 nm wavelength laser, we were able to obtain Raman spectra from a series of thorium-bearing compounds of unknown origin. These spectra were compared to the spectra of in-stock-laboratory thorium compounds including e.g. ThO₂, ThF₄, Th(CO₃)₂ and Th(C₂O₄)₂. The unknown spectra showed very good agreement to the known standards, demonstrating the applicability of Raman spectroscopy for detection and identification of these nuclear materials.

Citation Download Citation

Yin-Fong Su, Timothy J. Johnson, and Khris B. Olsen "Raman spectroscopy for analysis of thorium compounds", Proc. SPIE 9824, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) Sensing XVII, 982415 (12 May 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2224688

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