Alpha spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry of electrodeposited uranium films

Electrodeposited natural uranium films prepared by electrodeposition from solution of uranyl nitrate UO₂(NO₃)₂·6H₂O on stainless steel discs in electrodeposition cell. Solutions of NaHSO₄, and Na₂SO₄ and electric current from 0.50 up to 0.75 A were used in this study. Recalculated weights and surface’s weights of ²³⁸U from the alpha activities and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) intensities resulted in a linear regression. A dependency between of ²³⁸U surface’s weights recalculated from alpha activities and signal intensity of ²³⁸U in SIMS was investigated in order to determine a potential of SIMS in quantitative analysis of surface samples containing uranium. In the SIMS spectra of electrodeposited uranium films we found that upper layer consist not only from isotopes of uranium (ions ²³⁴U⁺, ²³⁵U⁺, and ²³⁸U⁺). In the positive polarity SIMS spectra, various molecules ions of uranium were suggested as UH⁺, UH₂ ⁺, UO⁺, UOH⁺, UO₂ ⁺, UO₂H⁺, UO₂H₂ ⁺, as well as possibly ions UNO⁺ and UNOH⁺.     

IRMM-3100a: A new certified isotopic reference material with equal abundances of 233U, 235U, 236U and 238U

The new so-called Quad-IRM (“Quadruple Isotope Reference Material”) was prepared from highly enriched ²³³U, ²³⁵U, ²³⁶U and ²³⁸U isotopic materials using an optimized combination of gravimetrical mixing and mass spectrometry. Within the mixing process the isotope ratios were adjusted to about n(²³³U)/n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁶U)/n(²³⁸U) = 1/1/1/1 and certified with expanded relative uncertainties of 0.0054% per mass unit (coverage factor k = 2). This new isotope reference material is ideal for verifying the inter-calibration of multi-detector systems in isotope mass spectrometry.The certified n(²³³U)/n(²³⁶U) ratio of IRMM-3100a was derived from the mass metrology data of the gravimetrical mixing of highly enriched ²³³U and ²³⁶U materials. It was verified by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) measurements using the classical total evaporation (TE) and modified total evaporation (MTE) methods. The n(²³⁴U)/n(²³⁶U), n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁶U) and n(²³⁸U)/n(²³⁶U) ratios were then determined by TIMS using the n(²³³U)/n(²³⁶U) ratio for internal normalization and using a multi-dynamic measurement procedure in order to circumvent any possible influence and uncertainties from Faraday cup efficiencies and amplifier gain factors. The certified n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁶U) and n(²³⁸U)/n(²³⁶U) ratios were additionally verified using the classical and modified total evaporation methods using two TIMS instruments at IRMM and one TIMS instrument at IAEA-SGAS. The verification data can be regarded as results obtained at three independent instruments at two different nuclear safeguards laboratories.     

Static secondary ion mass spectrometry of organic plasma-deposited films created from stable isotope-labeled precursors. II. Mixtures of acetone and oxygen

A series of plasma-deposited films (PDFs), created by blending controlled ratios of acetone vapor and oxygen in the feed to the plasma reactor, were analyzed by static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Examination of the quadrupole-based static SIMS fragmentation patterns of acetone–O₂ PDFs created from ¹³C-labeled acetone generally allowed the hydrocarbon secondary ions to be distinguished from oxygen-containing secondary ions. These results were compared with those obtained via high-mass resolution time-of-flight (TOF)-SIMS. The identified secondary ions were then assigned structural attributes, based on comparison of the static SIMS spectra of the acetone–O₂ PDFs with those of conventional hydrocarbon and oxygen-containing polymers. A preliminary investigation to unravel the mechanism of oxygen incorporation in the acetone–O₂ PDFs from the two plasma feed components was undertaken through the analysis of PDFs created from 1,2,3¹³C₃-acetone(¹⁶O) vapor and ¹⁸O₂ gas.     

Isotopic abundance measurements on solid nuclear-type samples by glow discharge mass spectrometry

A double-focusing Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometer (GDMS) installed in a glovebox for nuclear sample screening has been employed for isotopic measurements. Isotopic compositions of zirconium, silicon, lithium, boron, uranium and plutonium which are elements of nuclear concern have been determined. Interferences arising from the matrix sample and the discharge gas (Ar) for each of these elements are discussed. The GDMS results are compared with those from Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). For boron and lithium at g/g-ng/g levels, the two methods gave results in good agreement. In samples containing uranium the isotopic composition obtained by GDMS was in agreement with those from TIMS independently of the enrichment. Attempts for the determination of plutonium isotopic composition were also made. In this case, due to the interferences of uranium at mass 238 and americium at mass 241, the GDMS raw data are complementary with those values obtained from physical non-destructive techniques.     

Investigation of the oxygen evolution reaction on Ti/IrO2 electrodes using isotope labelling and on-line mass spectrometry

Oxygen evolution on Ti/IrO₂ anodes has been studied in 1M HClO₄ electrolyte using ¹⁸O labelling together with differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) measurements.It has been shown that during successive cyclic voltammetric measurements in H₂ ¹⁸O containing electrolyte the amount of ¹⁶O₂ (m/z = 32) decreases, with a concomitant increase of ¹⁸O¹⁶O (m/z = 34) after each cycle before reaching a steady state after four cycles. The obtained higher ¹⁶O₂ concentration in the evolved oxygen during the first scans is because ¹⁶O from the IrO₂ film contribute in the oxygen evolution reaction.Analysis of the experimental data has shown that the amount of lattice oxygen, which is involved in the oxygen exchange reaction, is in the order of 1% of the total IrO₂ loading. This is an indication that only the outer surface of the oxide electrode participates in the oxygen evolution reaction.In a second series of experiments it has been demonstrated that oxygen evolution on Ir¹⁶O₂ in H₂¹⁸O containing electrolyte result in the formation of Ir¹⁸O₂.Consequently, we can conclude that the IrO₂ layers participate in the oxygen evolution reaction in acid media at least to a several monolayer extend.     

Inorganic trace analysis by mass spectrometry

Mass spectrometric methods for the trace analysis of inorganic materials with their ability to provide a very sensitive multielemental analysis have been established for the determination of trace and ultratrace elements in high-purity materials (metals, semiconductors and insulators), in different technical samples (e.g. alloys, pure chemicals, ceramics, thin films, ion-implanted semiconductors), in environmental samples (waters, soils, biological and medical materials) and geological samples. Whereas such techniques as spark source mass spectrometry (SSMS), laser ionization mass spectrometry (LIMS), laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS), secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) have multielemental capability, other methods such as thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) and resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS) have been used for sensitive mono- or oligoelemental ultratrace analysis (and precise determination of isotopic ratios) in solid samples. The limits of detection for chemical elements using these mass spectrometric techniques are in the low ng g⁻¹ concentration range. The quantification of the analytical results of mass spectrometric methods is sometimes difficult due to a lack of matrix-fitted multielement standard reference materials (SRMs) for many solid samples. Therefore, owing to the simple quantification procedure of the aqueous solution, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is being increasingly used for the characterization of solid samples after sample dissolution. ICP-MS is often combined with special sample introduction equipment (e.g. flow injection, hydride generation, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or electrothermal vaporization) or an off-line matrix separation and enrichment of trace impurities (especially for characterization of high-purity materials and environmental samples) is used in order to improve the detection limits of trace elements. Furthermore, the determination of chemical elements in the trace and ultratrace concentration range is often difficult and can be disturbed through mass interferences of analyte ions by molecular ions at the same nominal mass. By applying double-focusing sector field mass spectrometry at the required mass resolution—by the mass spectrometric separation of molecular ions from the analyte ions—it is often possible to overcome these interference problems. Commercial instrumental equipment, the capability (detection limits, accuracy, precision) and the analytical application fields of mass spectrometric methods for the determination of trace and ultratrace elements and for surface analysis are discussed.     

Isotopic abundance measurements on solid nuclear-type samples by glow discharge mass spectrometry

A double-focusing Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometer (GDMS) installed in a glovebox for nuclear sample screening has been employed for isotopic measurements. Isotopic compositions of zirconium, silicon, lithium, boron, uranium and plutonium which are elements of nuclear concern have been determined. Interferences arising from the matrix sample and the discharge gas (Ar) for each of these elements are discussed. The GDMS results are compared with those from Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). For boron and lithium at microg/g-ng/g levels, the two methods gave results in good agreement. In samples containing uranium the isotopic composition obtained by GDMS was in agreement with those from TIMS independently of the enrichment. Attempts for the determination of plutonium isotopic composition were also made. In this case, due to the interferences of uranium at mass 238 and americium at mass 241, the GDMS raw data are complementary with those values obtained from physical non-destructive techniques.     

Development of a SIMS Method for Isotopic Measurements in Nuclear Forensic Applications

 Methodologies based on secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) for isotopic measurements in nuclear forensic applications relevant to the age determination of Pu particles and isotopic composition of oxygen for geolocation assignment are described. For the age determination of Pu particles, a relative sensitivity factor (RSF) to correct for the different ionisation efficiencies of U and Pu, was obtained by analysing standard Pu materials with known ages. An RSF of 2.41±0.05 was obtained for PuO₂ from measurements on samples with different Pu/U ratios. In a sample of known origin, using this RSF value, the age calculated from the ²³⁸Pu/²³⁴U and ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁶U ratios agreed well with the reported age of 2.3 years. For geolocation assignment, a new approach based on the measurement of differences in the natural abundance of ¹⁸O and ¹⁶O isotopes and their ratio was developed. The instrumental mass discrimination of the ¹⁸O/¹⁶O ratio was determined using three O-isotope samples of different chemical composition. The measured precision (the standard error of 100 cycles/analysis) obtained for the oxygen isotopic measurement on the samples was typically ±1.1‰.     

Measurement of non-separated U/Pu samples: optimization of TIMS procedures for safeguards purposes at Rokkasho on-site laboratory

The on-site laboratory (OSL) at Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant (RRP) is jointly operated by the Japanese authority Nuclear Material Control Centre and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and provides, together with the Nuclear Material Laboratory (NML) at Seibersdorf, analytical services to the IAEA’s inspectorate. OSL deals with a variety of samples typical to a reprocessing plant including pure product solutions of uranium and plutonium but also mixed U/Pu solutions originating from various stages of the chemical process. For a significant proportion of the samples, the requirement on measurement accuracy and precision from the Inspectorate makes the use of thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) indispensible. Until recently, all samples intended for TIMS had to undergo time-consuming U/Pu separation before isotope dilution measurement. The need for rapid reporting of analytical results for certain safeguards samples evoked the idea of performing TIMS measurements without prior U/Pu separation for mixed U/Pu products as they are obtained from the PUREX process at RRP. For this purpose, a systematic study was initiated to probe the figure of merits and limitations of conducting TIMS analyses on mixed U/Pu samples and, in particular, whether the accuracy and precision of the main ratios of interest, n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁸U) and n(²⁴⁰Pu)/n(²³⁹Pu), are influenced by the presence of larger amounts of the other element. A series of synthetic mixtures with U/Pu ratios ranging from 1:10 up to 100:1 were prepared and measured in both laboratories—OSL and NML—using ThermoFisher TRITON multi-collector TIMS instruments. For the n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁸U) ratio, interference due to ²³⁸Pu was observed which can be significant depending on the U/Pu ratio and the ²³⁸Pu abundance. However, for the n(²⁴⁰Pu)/n(²³⁹Pu) ratio, which is of premier importance for safeguarding RRP, no significant interference arising from the concomitant U was detected independently of enrichment. Even in samples with an excess of U (U/Pu ratio of 100:1), compliance with International Target Values (ITV2010) was demonstrated for n(²⁴⁰Pu)/n(²³⁹Pu) results with a relative difference to certified not exceeding 0.01 %.     

Oxygen evolution on Ru and RuO2 electrodes studied using isotope labelling and on-line mass spectrometry

Oxide layer formation and O₂ evolution on Ru and RuO₂ films have been studied in sulphuric acid using ¹⁸O labelling together with differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS). It was shown that ¹⁶O¹⁸O is evolved from a H₂¹⁶O solution on a Ru oxide layer previously formed in H₂¹⁸O. ¹⁶O¹⁸O was also observed when oxygen is evolved on Ru¹⁶O₂ in H₂¹⁸O solution. Consequently, the oxide layer takes part in the oxygen evolution process on both types of electrode. In the case of Ru, formation of RuO₄ was observed when oxygen evolution takes place.     

Characterisation of Radioactive Particles by SIMS

 Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) was optimised for characterisation of uranium- and plutonium-containing particles in soils, swipes and forensic samples. This was done by analysing in-house produced spherical UO₂-particles. Screening techniques as α-autoradiography together with SIMS analysis were employed to detect UO₂-particles in a soil sample from Chernobyl. The use of SIMS was exploited for the identification of uranium- and plutonium-containing particles and for the determination of their isotopic composition. The particles collected on swipe samples were transferred to a special adhesive support for the analysis by SIMS. Particles containing highly enriched uranium with diameters up to 10 μm were also detected in a forensic sample. For the measurements of the isotopic ratios a mass resolution of 1000 was used. At this resolution flat-top peaks were obtained which greatly improve the accuracy of the measurement. The isotopic composition of the particles was measured with a typical accuracy and precision of 0.5%. Statistically meaningful results can be obtained, for instance, from a specimen containing as few as 10¹⁰ atoms/μm³ of uranium in particles of UO₂ weighing a few picograms.     

Isotopic “fingerprints” for natural uranium ore samples

A set of six samples, collected worldwide from various uranium ore mining facilities, was analysed for uranium isotopic composition by high accuracy isotope mass spectrometry. The goal of this article was twofold: to measure isotopic variations between samples of different geographical origin and to produce calibrated isotope ratios with the smallest achievable uncertainty (as defined according to the ISO Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement). In the first step, the molar ratio of the isotopes ²³⁵U and ²³⁸U, n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁸U), was measured using a UF₆-gas-inlet isotope mass spectrometer (VARIAN MAT 511). This instrument was calibrated against gravimetrically prepared synthetic isotope mixtures thus allowing SI-traceable measurements to be made. The ratios of the “minor isotopes” to ²³⁸U [n(²³⁴U)/n(²³⁸U) and n(²³⁶U)/n(²³⁸U)] were determined in a second step using a thermal ionisation mass spectrometer with high abundance sensitivity (Finnigan MAT262-RPQ-PLUS). The mass-fractionation correction was done internally using the result of the n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁸U) measurement. As a result, the complete measured uranium isotopic composition is traceable to the SI system. For all ratios n(²³⁴U)/n(²³⁸U), n(²³⁵U)/n(²³⁸U), and n(²³⁶U)/n(²³⁸U) significant differences for samples of different origin were found. Regarding the n(²³⁶U)/n(²³⁸U) results, only two samples, one of them from the Oklo reactor in Gabon, showed significant presence of ²³⁶U. For all other samples an upper limit for n(²³⁶U)/n(²³⁸U) of about 6 × 10⁻¹⁰, mainly dependent on the instrumentation, was found. As a result of this study we propose values for the isotope abundances of natural uranium for the “Best Measurement from a Single Terrestrial Source” and the “Range of Natural Variations” in the IUPAC-table of the “Isotopic Composition of the Elements.”     

Determination of lithium isotopic composition by thermal ionization mass spectrometry in seawater

The isotopic composition of lithium in seawater has been determined by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) based on the use of lithium hydroxide as the ion source. Isotopic measurements in a reference material supplied by IAEA (L-SVEC Li₂CO₃) were made to check the reproducibility of the method and ⁶Li indicates mobilization of light isotope of lithium form the sediment.     

Atom probe mass spectrometry

Round-robin characterization is reported on the sputter depth profiling of CrN/AlN multilayer thin-film coatings on nickel alloy by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and glow-discharge optical emission spectrometry (GD-OES). It is demonstrated that a CAMECA SIMS 4550 Depth Profiler operated with 3 keV O₂⁺ primary ions provides the best depth resolution and sensitivity. The key factor is sample rotation, which suppresses the negative influence of the surface topography (initial and ion-induced) on the depth profile characteristics.     

Studies of the hydrated oxonium radical H3O·(H2O)n and the ammoniated ammonium radical NH4·(NH3)n by neutralized ion beam techniques

Neutralized ion beam studies of the clusters NH₄·(NH₃)_n and H₃O·(H₂O)_n,n = 0–3, and their fully deuterated analogs are presented. Stabilization of the hypervalent monomer radicals is found to accompany solvation. Cluster stability is found to decrease with increasing size. Reasons for this observation are discussed. Internally excited clusters are found to stabilize efficiently through the sequential loss of structural units (NH₃ or H₂O). The mixed isotopic dimer clusters (D₂¹⁸O)·D·(D₂¹⁶O) and (HDO)·D·(D₂O) are also investigated. Presence of the D₃¹⁶O radical structural unit is found to be crucial to dimer stability. This is consistent with the results of earlier investigations involving the monomer which showed the surprising lifetime progression τ(D₃¹⁶O) ≫; τ(D₃¹⁸O) ⩾ τ(H₃¹⁶O).     

Organic secondary ion mass spectrometry: Signal enhancement by water vapor injection

The enhancement of the static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) signals resulting from the injection, closely to the sample surface, of H₂O vapor at relatively high-pressure, was investigated for a set of organic materials. While the ion signals are generally improved with increasing H₂O pressure upon 12 keV Ga⁺ bombardment, a specific enhancement of the protonated ion intensity is clearly demonstrated in each case. For instance, the presence of H₂O vapor induces an enhancement by one order of magnitude of the [M+ H]⁺ static SIMS intensity for the antioxidant Irgafos 168 and a ∼1.5-fold increase for polymers such as poly(vinyl pyrrolidone).     

Measurement of isotope ratios in solids by glow discharge mass spectrometry

A commercial thermion mass spectrometer has been modified for glow discharge mass spectrometry. GDMS isotope ratio measurements on osmium, uranium, and boron containing samples are compared with TIMS measurements.     

Characterisation of selected hypnotic drugs and their metabolites using electrospray ionisation with ion trap mass spectrometry and with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and their determination by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-ion trap mass spectrometry

The electrospray ionisation-ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-MSⁿ) of selected hypnotic drugs, i.e. zopiclone, zolpidem, flunitrazepam and their metabolites have been investigated. Sequential product ion fragmentation experiments (MSⁿ) have been performed in order to elucidate the degradation pathways for the [M+H]⁺ ions and their predominant fragment ions. These MSⁿ experiments show certain characteristic fragmentations in that functional groups are generally cleaved from the ring systems as neutral molecules such as H₂O, CO, CO₂, NO₂, amines and HF. When an aromatic entity is present in a drug molecule together with a nitrogen-containing saturated ring structure as with zopiclone and its N-desmethyl metabolite fragmentation initially occurs at the latter ring with the former being resistant to fragmentation. The structures of fragment ions proposed for ESI-MSⁿ can be supported by electrospray ionisation-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-QTOF-MS).These molecules can be identified and determined in mixtures at low ng/ml concentrations by the application of liquid chromatography (LC)-ESI-MSⁿ which can be used for their analysis in saliva samples.This paper includes a tabulation of mass losses/signals at low m/z values for these hypnotic drugs and many others in recent publications which will be of value in the characterisation of drug metabolites of unknown structure and also natural product pharmaceuticals isolated from plants, etc.     

Structures of Stoichiometric Sodium Oxide Cluster Cations Studied by Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry

Structures of stable compositions of sodium oxide cluster cations (Na_nO_m⁺,n≤11) have been investigated by ion mobility mass spectrometry. Stoichiometric compositions series, Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ (n=3, 5, 7, 9, and 11), were observed as stable composition series, and NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ series (n=5, 7, 9, and 11) were observed as secondary stable series in the mass spectra. To assign the structures of these cluster ion series, collision cross sections between the ions and helium buffer gas were determined experimentally from the ion mobility measurements. Theoretical collision cross sections were also calculated for optimized structures of these compositions. Finally, the structures of Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ and NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ were assigned to those having similar structural frames for each n except for n=9. All bonds in the assigned structures of Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ were between sodium and oxygen. On the other hand, there was one O-O bond in addition to Na-O bonds in NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺. This result indicates that NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ have a peroxide ion (O₂^2-) as a substitute for an oxide ion (O^2-) of Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺. As a result, both stable series, Na(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺ and NaO(Na₂O)_(n-1)/2⁺, are closed-shell compositions. These closed-shell characteristics have a strong influence on the stability of sodium oxide cluster cations.     

AIB induced chemical reactions at surfaces detected by SIMS

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) has been used to detect the reactions induced by active ion bombardment (AIB) of N⁺₂ on surfaces of pyrolytic graphite and a (100) Si crystal. The SIMS spectra exhibit ions of CN^?, HCN^?, H_nC₂N^?(n = 2, 3, 4), HN^?, and SiN^?, indicating that reactions take place with the graphite and silicon as well as adsorbed hydrogen on the surfaces.