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XPS study of iodine released in core melting experiments
Author(s) -
Moers H.,
Dillard J. G.,
KleweNebenius H.,
Kirch G.,
Pfennig G.,
Ache H. J.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.740070106
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , chemistry , caesium , nuclear fission product , indium , inorganic chemistry , hydroxide , iodine , tellurium , radiochemistry , fission products , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemical engineering , environmental chemistry , organic chemistry , engineering
Core melting experiments are performed in order to investigate on a laboratory scale the behaviour of the reactor core constituents released during severe light water reactor accidents in the form of aerosols and the dependence on the temperature of the melting charge. The materials used reflect the composition of a pressurized water reactor core including structural materials, fuel, and fission products. One of the most important questions regards the release and chemical behaviour of fission product iodine. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of aerosol samples released at temperatures ranging from 1200 °C to 1900 °C revealed caesium, silver, indium, cadmium, iodine, and tellurium as constituents of the aerosol surface. The main compounds identified were: caesium hydroxide, silver metal, indium oxide, cadmium hydroxide, tellurium dioxide. The investigation of the chemical nature of iodine was difficult because of the low iodine concentration in the samples and because of the small chemical shifts in the photoelectron energies of the possible iodine compounds. The determination of its chemical states was possible with a combination of XPS and argon ion bombardment and resulted in identification of CsI and HgI. The procedure chosen required in addition a critical reflection on the influence of ion bombardment on the surface chemistry.