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Irradiated Materials Characterization Lab (IMCL)

Lab Location

Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
Idaho Falls, Idaho

Associate Lab Director

Ronald A. Crone

Expertise and Research

IMCL is Hazard Category 2 nuclear facility that focuses on microstructural, thermal, and mechanical characterization of irradiated nuclear fuels and materials. IMCL’s unique design incorporates advanced characterization instruments that are sensitive to vibration, temperature, and electromagnetic interference into modular radiological shielding and confinement systems. The shielded instruments allow characterization of highly radioactive fuels and materials at the micro, nano, and atomic levels, the scale at which irradiation damage processes occur.

Scheduling and Contracting Work

Please contact Dick Sevier (dicksevier@boisestate.edu, 208.426.1022) to discuss work you would like done in this lab.

IMCL Home Page

IMCL Equipment Table

AssetMfr and ModelFieldApplication
Shielded Sample Prep Hot CellCustomNuclear Fuels CharacterizationSample prep of nuclear fuels
Glove Box and Hood for Rad MaterialsCustomNuclear Fuels CharacterizationSample prep of nuclear fuels
Precision Gamma Scanner
Remote Handling ManipulatorsCustomNuclear Fuels CharacterizationSample prep of nuclear fuels
Electron Probe Microanalyzer (EPMA)Cameca SX100-RNuclear Fuels CharacterizationCharacterize the migration and redistribution of fuel constituents and fission products, fission product radial profiles for burnup, plutonium and other actinide agglomeration, and fuel-cladding chemical interaction
Shielded Focused Ion Beam (FIB) with Dual BeamFEI QUANTA 3D FEGNuclear Fuels Characterization
Field Emission Gun Scanning / Transmission Electron Microscope (FEG-STEM )FEI Titan Themis ChemiSTEM 200Nuclear Fuels CharacterizationAnalysis of irradiated materials at the atomic level.
Shielded dual-beam SEM/plasma FIBFEI HeliosNuclear Fuels Characterization3D analysis of irradiated materials at the atomic level.
Shielded Optical MicroscopeKeyence VHX 4000Nuclear Fuels CharacterizationUp to 1000X magnification to provide information on surface finish and defect location prior to electron microscopy
Benchtop Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)JEOL Neoscope JCM-5000Nuclear Fuels CharacterizationFor use with rad materials with resolution to 3-4 nm. Can dermine elemental composition of samples with EDS module.
X-ray DiffractometerPanalytical EmpyreanNuclear Fuels Characterization
Micro X-Ray DiffractometerBruker D8 DiscoverNuclear Fuels Characterization
Saws for Rad MaterialBuehler Isomet lNuclear Fuels CharacterizationAnalyzing mechanical properties of fuel materials and related components
Grinder-polishers for Rad MaterialBuehler MiniMet 1000Nuclear Fuels CharacterizationSample prep of nuclear fuels
Microhardness Tester for Rad MaterialsLeco LM247ATNuclear Fuels CharacterizationMechanical testing of nuclear fuel samples
To Be Installed in 2019
Micro Computed Tomography (C-T) SystemZeiss Xradia 520 VersaNuclear Fuels Characterization
Field Electron Gun Scanning Electron Microscope (FEG- SEM)JEOL 7600Nuclear Fuels Characterization
Physical Property Measurement SystemQuantum Design DynaCool 9Nuclear Fuels Characterization
Shielded Thermal Property Cell – Laser Flash Thermal Diffusivity (LFTD), Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Thermal Conductivity Microscope (TCM)Nuclear Fuels Characterization