New developments at the INE-Beamline for actinide research at ANKA

Abstract

The INE-Beamline for actinide research at the synchrotron source ANKA is operated by the Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung (INE) at the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. Experiments on radioactive samples with activities up to 106 times the limit of exemption inside a safe and flexible double containment concept are possible. One great advantage of the beamline is its close proximity to INE's active laboratories with its equipment for manipulation of actinide materials and state-of-the-art spectroscopic, analytical, and microscopic instrumentation. This constellation is unique in Europe.The INE-Beamline is built primarily to serve INE in-house research associated with safe disposal of high level nuclear waste such as actinide speciation or coordination-, redox-, and geo-chemistry of actinides. A wide energy range from around 2.1 keV to 25 keV covering the K-edges from P to Pd and the L3, L2, and L1 edges for actinides from Th to Cm can be used. The INE-Beamline is optimized for X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques (XANES/EXAFS), but x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis and powder diffraction (XRD) are also possible, as well as surface sensitive measurements in grazing incidence geometry (GI-XAFS). Upgrades of instrumentation and extension of experimental capabilities at the INE-Beamline are driven by user needs. Two of the recent upgrades are presented: 1) installation of a microfocus option for spatially resolved studies (μ-XRF, μ-XANES, μ-XRD) and investigations of small volumes (e.g., heterogeneous natural samples and diamond anvil high pressure cells); 2) construction, and commissioning of a high resolution x-ray emission spectrometer (HRXES); 3) availability of an electrochemical cell for investigation of redox sensitive systems.