Evaluation of the dissolution behavior of zircon using high-resolution phase-shift interferometry microscope

北垣 徹

Journal of Nuclear Materials, 557, p.153254_1 - 153254_8, 2021/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2021.153254

The dissolution behavior of the zircon mineral in ultrapure water, 1 M HCl (aq), and 1 M NaOH (aq), under room temperature and nearly atmospheric pressure was evaluated by in situ measurement of the change in the surface height. A high-resolution phase-shift interferometry microscope (HR-PSI) was employed to evaluate the velocity of the change in the surface height of zircon in different solutions, and the application of this method in evaluating the dissolution behaviors of nuclear materials was examined. As a result, the velocity of surface change and the precipitation behaviors of zircon was successfully evaluated using HR-PSI. This relatively quick method would be useful for evaluating the detailed surface change behaviors of nuclear materials, such as fuel debris, ceramic waste forms and UO, during the reaction with various solutions, since it minimises radiation exposure times and also the amount of radioactive waste generation during measurement.