b'Nuclear Science User Facilities NFMLUPDATEMaterials and fuels find new life in NFMLSince its inception a decade ago, theUnemployed materials and fuels that Nuclear Fuels and Materials Librarywere utilized at one point in time all (NFML) has blossomed into one offace the same problem: disposal. If the largest assortments of nuclearmaterials dont have programmatic fuels and materials available to theuse, theyll get disposed of, says general nuclear research communitychief irradiation scientist Brenden for individual testing and research.Heidrich. These materials repre-These specimens range from conven- sent tens of millions of dollars of tional and advanced steels to experi- research and development effort that mental alloys, as well as ceramicswould otherwise go to waste. They and fuels, many of which were usedalso represent not only a wide body inside of nuclear reactors.of knowledge, but a huge savings to The NFML was initially concep- the government and taxpayer in that tualized by the NSUF staff whowe dont have to redo the work.identified an abundance of legacyThe NFML also benefits researchers materials from past research andin the amount of time they save by development programs being storedhaving specimens readily accessible without use in hot cells and labora- through the library. According to tories across the country, includingHeidrich, the process of irradiating Idaho National Laboratory. However,and reproducing materials is lengthy, thanks to the NFML, over 6,000taking several years to accomplish, individual samples are available forand may reproduce work that was new or follow-on research. already done. The purpose of NSUF Theres a lot of valuable researchnuclear energy research is to study INLs Analytical Laboratory has amaterial being stored in hot cells,materials and fuels that can be used broad range of analytical chemistrysays NFML administrator Kellyin the construction and powering capabilities like this focused ion beamof both commercial and noncom-instrument, which is available forCunningham. Over the years,mercial reactors. This is all in hopes NSUF users to characterize materialsweve added roughly 3,500 irradi-found in the NFML. ated specimens as a result of NSUFof leading to further innovation sponsored projects.in nuclear sciences, as opposed to repeating previous work, which only lengthens the process. Saving them is pretty cheap. Redoing it is a lot more expensive, says Heidrich.22'