SEM analyzes of powdered actinide compounds : Implementation in a hot laboratory

International audience ; The fuel characterization laboratory in CEA Marcoule (LCC : “Laboratoire de Caractérisationsdes Combustibles”) works on radioactive solid characterization and especially on minoractinide powders (U, Pu, Am, Cm, .). The powder disadvantage is to generate an importantcontamination inside the glove boxes and the equipment used for their characterization.The present communication is dedicated to a nuclearized FEG-SEM Zeiss Supra 55. Thisdevice is equipped with EDS and WDS combined detectors. The SEM is connected to a glovebox on its sample introduction chamber with a flexible bellow in order to minimize ventilationvibrations. This type of nuclearization allows the SEM to be uncoupled from its glove box andhighly simplifies its maintenance by avoiding contamination.In a first part, we will present the SEM nuclearization with curative maintenance examples(detector replacement and modifications). We will also discuss the feedback on EDS detectorchanges done in order to limit radiation impact. Induced effects by these changes will bediscussed.In the second part, we will detail some results obtained with different detectors (SE2, BSE,InLens, EDS and WDS), and focus on analyzes performed in support of irradiated fuelreprocessing studies just after their dissolution. Zirconium molybdate precipitates are formedduring the dissolution process causing significant fouling on the reprocessing process walls.The goal of this study realized in the high activity Laboratory Atalante is to control theprecipitate growth in order to minimize their impact on the process. We will present someimages and elemental analyzes performed on these samples, and what the nuclearized SEMenabled to highlight.A final section will demonstrate the interest of using a WDX detector in the case of radioactivesamples, especially in the case of fission product separation (platinum group elements) orcharacteristic X-ray lines of actinides (Pu and Am for example)