Radiation degradation of microchemical chips and capillary tubes by gamma-ray irradiation

Analytical equipment, which consists of a microchemical chip and a desktop-sized thermal lens microscope (DT-TLM), is being developed to analyze solutions in PUREX reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels. Radiation degradation by gamma-rays of the microchemical chip and capillary tubes used in this equipment were studied. The decreased thermal lens signal of a colored microchemical chip made of Pyrex (Corning#7740) glass by the irradiation can be corrected by using empirical correlations of the light transmittance. The usable dose of the EXLON PFA capillary tube was less than 30 kGy. The microchemical chip made of Pyrex (Corning#7740) glass and the EXLON PFA capillary tubes can be applied to the analyses of high radioactivity samples since the sample quantity required for analysis is very small. Radiation degradation of the microchemical chip made of synthetic quartz (SUPRASIL-P) and the VICTREX PEEK capillary tubes was not observed for the dose studied here. © Atomic Energy Society of Japan.