SIMS analysis of an UO2 fuel irradiated at low temperature to 65 MWd/kgHM

The results of a wide-ranging post-irradiation study of a PWR nuclear fuel by secondary ion mass spectrometry are presented. The average cross-section burn-up and the radial burn-up profile were determined from the radial distributions of one or more of the stable isotopes of fission product Nd. The fission gas Kr was analysed in-situ in a nuclear fuel for the first time and an investigation of the total fission gas content of the high burn-up structure using depth profiling was performed. It was confirmed that Kr is together with Xe in the pores of the high burn-up structure, and that almost all the fission gas lost from the fuel matrix is contained in the pores. In addition to Xe and Kr, the volatile fission products Te, Cs, I and Rb were also detected in the pores. The radial distributions of the minor actinides in the fuel are also reported. It was found that ²³⁷Np, unlike the isotopes of Pu, Am, and Cm, does not increase in concentration at the fuel rim.