United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory
FEI Helios 600i Nanolab
© NNL
A high-resolution FIB-SEM with a full complement of analytical capability is available for use at UKNNL’s Central Laboratory (Sellafield).
Installed in the active area of Central Laboratory on Sellafield site, the instrument combines a UHR electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and electron back-scatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, as well as an ion column for sputtering materials and preparing size-reduced specimens for TEM analysis.
Previously the instrument has been involved in examining AGR fuel cladding, vitrified waste, uranium powders and precipitates, and preparing atom probe tomography needles.
Technical contact: Dr Tamsin O’Reilly (tamsin.i.oreilly@uknnl.com) & Dr Jamie Nanson (jamie.nanson@uknnl.com).
Bruker Skyscan 1172
© NNL
A high-resolution X-ray CT capability is available for use at UKNNL’s Central Laboratory. Installed in the active area of Central Laboratory on Sellafield site, the Bruker Skyscan 1172 allows non-destructive imaging of specimens with a peak resolution of 0.9 μm.
Comprising a 100 kV, 10 W X-ray source, 11 MP CCD detector, and a micropositioning stage, the 1172 is capable of scanning samples as large as 50 mm in diameter and can perform z-stacking for particularly long specimens.
Previously the instrument has been involved in examining carbonaceous deposits, uranium foil in cement, Magnox simulant sludge, various cements and grouts.
Technical contact: Dr Matthew Jordan (matthew.jordan@uknnl.com) & Dr Tamsin O’Reilly (tamsin.i.oreilly@uknnl.com)
JEOL JEM-2100
© NNL
A 200 kV (S)TEM with EELS capability is available for use at UKNNL’s Central Laboratory (Sellafield site). The instrument combines the high spatial resolution of a transmission electron microscope with chemical analysis by EDS, and EELS.
The instrument is further supported by UKNNL’s FIB and PFIB instruments, as well as ion mill and electropolishing equipment for TEM sample preparation.
Previously the instrument has been involved in examining AGR fuel cladding, zirconium cladding, MTR fuel, and wasteforms.
Technical contact: Dr Simon Dumbill (simon.dumbill@uknnl.com) & Dr Tamsin O’Reilly (tamsin.i.oreilly@uknnl.com)
JEOL ARM-200F
© Copyright 2020 by JEOLCO (UK) Limited
A 200 kV aberration-corrected FEG-TEM with EELS capability is expected to be available for use at UKNNL’s Central Laboratory.
Installed in the active area of Central Laboratory on Sellafield site, the instrument is capable of sub-Angstrom imaging resolution, and atomic resolution chemical analysis by EDS (0.98 Sr Oxford Instruments X-Max 100 TLE detector), and Gatan GIF Quantum 965 ER with Dual EELS and EFTEM capabilities.
The instrument is further supported by UKNNL’s FIB and PFIB instruments, as well as ion mill and electropolishing equipment for TEM sample preparation.
Technical contact: Dr Simon Dumbill (simon.dumbill@uknnl.com) & Dr Tamsin O’Reilly (tamsin.i.oreilly@uknnl.com)
NNL Robotics Centre at Workington
© National Nuclear Laboratory
The facility provides flexible space and equipment that acts as a link between the small‐scale, low TRL (1‐4) robotics research, and the full‐scale demonstrator facilities being set up by NNL to progress technology up to TRL 9. Facilities include:
• Robot laser cutting
• Sort and segregation capability
• A flexible decommissioning cell
• Flexible operating enclosures for development and testing of ROVs.
This is an integral part of the Hot Robotics NNUF2 capability involving University of Bristol, University of Manchester and RACE.
Technical contact: Dr Darren Potter (darren.potter@uknnl.com).
