Laser decontamination microscopic process study on radioactive contaminations with Cs+ ion of 304 stainless steel surface

The decommissioning of contaminated metal equipment in nuclear facilities may produce a wide range of radioactive waste. For metallic equipment like the primary loop, the radioactivity is mainly located in the oxide surface. Laser decontamination was performed on 304 stainless steel specimens with a stable isotope Cs contamination layer. Laser melting was used to create oxide layer on the surface of polished specimen for enhancing the penetration of Cs + ion. The interaction between laser and matter (contamination, oxide and substrate) was studied by the stratification theory considering the difference in the thickness of contamination layer. At higher pulse duration (τ p = 5ns), laser decontamination is mainly caused by thermal effects. The metal near oxide layer melts and vaporizes to form a molten pool and crater. For short pulse duration (τ p = 1ns), the removal of surface contaminations mainly depends on thermal effect and stress wave, CsCl particles were removed by vaporization; however, oxide layer was stripped from the substrate in the form of solid fragment. For ultra-short pulse duration (τ p = 150ps), the oxide layer has been partially ablated. Most of the heat absorbed by γ (austenite) is used for heating and evaporation to form porous structure, while the great mass of heat absorbed by M (martensite) is used for thermal diffusion. Therefore, the M regions only form a dynamic molten pool on its surface without vaporization. • Laser decontamination was performed on 304 stainless steel specimens with a stable isotope Cs contaminated layer. • laser decontamination is mainly caused by thermal effects and stress wave. • Austenite and martensite have different ablation mechanisms under the same laser intensity. • Contaminations on the surface could be effectively removed.