LUTHER W MCDONALD, IV portrait
  • Associate Professor, Civil And Environmental Engin
  • Assistant Professor, Civil And Environmental Engin
801-581-7768

Publications

  • Jakob Johnson, Luther McDonald & Tolga Tasdizen (2024). Improving uranium oxide pathway discernment and generalizability using contrastive self-supervised learning. Computational Materials Science. Published, 01/30/2024.
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
  • Aaron M Chalifoux, Logan Gibb, Kimberly N Wurth, Travis Tenner, Togla Tasdizen & Luther McDonald (2023). Morphology of uranium oxides reduced from magnesium and sodium diuranate. Radiochimica Acta. Published, 12/27/2023.
    https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/rac...
  • Nick Kurtyka, Brian van Devener, Brandon W Chung & Luther W McDonald IV (2023). In Situ Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Studtite Particle Formation and Growth via Electron Beam Radiolysis. ACS Omega. Vol. 8, 48336-48343. Published, 12/05/2023.
    https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.3c0...
  • Nhat Cuong H Ly, Cody A Nizinski, Alexander R Hagen, Luther W McDonald & Tolga Tasdizen (2023). Improving robustness for model discerning synthesis process of uranium oxide with unsupervised domain adaptation. Frontiers in Nuclear Engineering. Vol. 2. Published, 10/25/2023.
    https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2203354
  • Luther W McDonald IV, Kari Sentz, Alex Hagen & Brandon W Chung (2023). Review of multi-faceted morphologic signatures of actinide process materials for nuclear forensic science. Journal of Nuclear Materials. Published, 10/23/2023.
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/...
  • Aaron M Chalifoux, Michael J Singleton, Miguel Cisneros, Erik J Oerter, Alexa B Hanson & Luther W McDonald IV (2023). Challenges in correlating oxygen stable isotope ratios of hydrates on uranium ore concentrates to process waters. Radiochimica Acta. Published, 05/29/2023.
    https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/rac...
  • Cody A Nizinski, Jacob Olson, Aaron M Chalifoux, Nick Kurtyka, Matthew T Athon, Travis Tenner & Luther W McDonald IV (2023). Identification and Elemental Impurity Analysis of Heterogeneous Morphologies in Uranium Oxides Synthesized from Uranyl Fluoride Precursors. ACS Omega. Vol. 8, 16896-16906. Published, 05/23/2023.
    https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.3c0...
  • Oerter, Singleton, Pili, Klosterman, Shemesh, Agrinier, Deinhart, Yam, Elish, McDonald, Tenner & Kips (2022). The oxygen stable isotope composition of CRM 125-A UO2 standard reference material. Applied Geochemistry. Vol. 146. Published, 11/2022.
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/...
  • Nizinski, Ly, Vachet, Hagen, Tasdizen & McDonald (2022). Characterization of uncertainties and model generalizability for convolutional neural network predictions of uranium ore concentrate morphology. Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems. Vol. 225. Published, 06/2022.
    https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_...
  • Abbott, O'Connor, Nizinski, Gibb, Allen & McDonald (2022). Thermodynamic evaluation of the uranyl peroxide synthetic route on morphology. Journal of Nuclear Materials. Vol. 561. Published, 04/2022.
    https://id.elsevier.com/as/authorization.oauth2?pl...
  • Klosterman, Oerter, Singleton & McDonald (2022). Oxygen Isotope Fractionation in U3O8 during Thermal Processing in Humid Atmospheres. ACS Omega. 3462-3469. Published, 01/2022.
    https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.1c0...
  • Ly, Nizinski, Toydemir, Vachet, McDonald & Tasdizen (2021). Determining the Composition of a Mixed Material with Synthetic Data. Microscopy and Microanalysis. Vol. 27, 1465-1475. Published, 12/2021.
    https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/microscopy...
  • Klosterman M.R., Oerter E.J., Deinhart A.L., Chakraborty S., Singleton M.J. & McDonald L.W. (2021). Oxygen Kinetic Isotope Effects in the Thermal Decomposition and Reduction of Ammonium Diuranate. ACS Omega. Vol. 6, 30856-30864. Published, 11/16/2021.
  • Klosterman, Oerter, Deinhart, Chakraborty, Singleton & McDonald (2021). Oxygen Kinetic Isotope Effects in the Thermal Decomposition and Reduction of Ammonium Diuranate. ACS Omega. Vol. 6, 30856-30864. Published, 11/2021.
    https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsomega.1c0...
  • Burr, Schwerdt, Sentz, McDonald & Wilkerson (2021). Overview of Algorithms for Using Particle Morphology in Pre-Detonation Nuclear Forensics. Algorithms. Vol. 14. Published, 11/2021.
    https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4893/14/12/340
  • Girard M., Hagen A., Schwerdt I., Gaumer M., McDonald L., Hodas N. & Jurrus E. (2021). Uranium Oxide Synthetic Pathway Discernment through Unsupervised Morphological Analysis. Journal of Nuclear Materials. Vol. 552. Published, 08/15/2021.
  • Ly, C., Nizinski, C., Vachet, C., McDonald, L. and Tasdizen, T., 2021. Learning to estimate the composition of a mixture with synthetic data. Microscopy and Microanalysis, 27(S1), pp.2522-2525. Published, 08/01/2021.
  • Hanson A.B., Nizinski C.A. & McDonald L.W. (2021). Effect of Diel Cycling Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Synthetic Route on the Surface Morphology and Hydrolysis of α-U3O8. ACS Omega. Vol. 6, 18426-18433. Published, 07/20/2021.
  • Klosterman M.R., Oerter E.J., Chakraborty S., Singleton M.J. & McDonald L.W. (2021). Fractionation of Oxygen Isotopes in Uranium Oxides during Peroxide Precipitation and Dry Air Calcination. ACS Earth and Space Chemistry. Vol. 5, 1622-1630. Published, 06/17/2021.
  • Hanson A.B., Schwerdt I.J., Nizinski C.A., Lee R.N., Mecham N.J., Abbott E.C., Heffernan S., Olsen A., Klosterman M.R., Martinson S., Brenkmann A. & McDonald L.W. (2021). Impact of Controlled Storage Conditions on the Hydrolysis and Surface Morphology of Amorphous-UO3. ACS Omega. Vol. 6, 8605-8615. Published, 03/30/2021.
  • Nizinski C.A., Ly C., Mcdonald L.W. & Tasdizen T. (2021). Computational Image Techniques for Analyzing Lanthanide and Actinide Morphology. (pp. 133-155). Vol. 1388, ACS Symposium Series. Published, 01/01/2021.
  • Ly C., Nizinski C.A., Toydemir A., Vachet C., McDonald L.W. & Tasdizen T. (2021). Determining the Composition of a Mixed Material with Synthetic Data. Microscopy and Microanalysis. Published, 01/01/2021.
  • Nizinski C.A., Hanson A.B., Fullmer B.C., Mecham N.J., Tasdizen T. & McDonald L.W. (2020). Effects of process history on the surface morphology of uranium ore concentrates extracted from ore. Minerals Engineering. Vol. 156. Published, 09/01/2020.
  • Ly C., Vachet C., Schwerdt I., Abbott E., Brenkmann A., McDonald L.W. & Tasdizen T. (2020). Determining uranium ore concentrates and their calcination products via image classification of multiple magnifications. Journal of Nuclear Materials. Vol. 533. Published, 05/01/2020.
  • Hanson A.B., Lee R.N., Vachet C., Schwerdt I.J., Tasdizen T. & McDonald L.W. (2019). Quantifying impurity effects on the surface morphology of α-U3O8. Analytical Chemistry. Vol. 91, 10081-10087. Published, 08/06/2019.
  • Olsen, Ian Schwerdt, Alex Jolley, Nick Halverson, Bryony Richards & Luther McDonald IV (2019). A response surface model of morphological changes in UO₂ and U₃O₈ following high temperature aging. Radiochimica Acta. Vol. 107, 449-458. Published, 06/26/2019.
  • Ly C., Olsen A., Schwerdt I., Porter R., Sentz K., McDonald L. & Tasdizen T. (2019). A new approach for quantifying morphological features of U 3 O 8 for nuclear forensics using a deep learning model. Journal of Nuclear Materials. Vol. 517, 128-137. Published, 04/15/2019.
  • Schwerdt, Casey Hawkins, Bryan Taylor, Alexandria Brenkmann, Sean Martinson & Luther McDonald IV (2019). Uranium oxide synthetic pathway discernment through thermal decomposition and morphological analysis. Radiochimica Acta. Vol. 107, 193-205. Published, 03/26/2019.
  • Heffernan S.T., Ly N.C., Mower B.J., Vachet C., Schwerdt I.J., Tasdizen T. & McDonald L.W. (2019). Identifying surface morphological characteristics to differentiate between mixtures of U3O8 synthesized from ammonium diuranate and uranyl peroxide. Radiochimica Acta. Published, 01/01/2019.
  • Abbott E.C., Brenkmann A., Galbraith C., Ong J., Schwerdt I.J., Albrecht B.D., Tasdizen T. & McDonald L.W. (2019). Dependence of UO 2 surface morphology on processing history within a single synthetic route. Radiochimica Acta. Published, 01/01/2019.
  • Liu, Luther W McDonald IV, Xuming Wang & Jan D Miller (2018). Bastnaesite Flotation Chemistry Issues Associated with Alkyl Phosphate Collectors. Minerals Engineering. Vol. 127, 286-295. Published, 10/01/2018.
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
  • Adam Olsen, Ian Schwerdt, Bryony Richards & Luther McDonald IV (2018). Quantification of high temperature oxidation of U3O8 and UO2. Journal of Nuclear Materials. Vol. 508, 574-582. Published, 09/01/2018.
    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/...
  • Schwerdt I., Brenkmann A., Martinson S., Albrecht B., Heffernan S., Klosterman M., Kirkham T., Tasdizen T. & McDonald IV L. (2018). Nuclear proliferomics: A new field of study to identify signatures of nuclear materials as demonstrated on alpha-UO3. Talanta. Vol. 186, 433-444. Published, 08/15/2018.
  • Schwerdt I., Olsen A., Lusk R., Heffernan S., Klosterman M., Collins B., Martinson S., Kirkham T. & McDonald L. (2018). Nuclear forensics investigation of morphological signatures in the thermal decomposition of uranyl peroxide. Talanta. Vol. 176, 284-292. Published, 01/01/2018.
  • Levinthal, J. B. Richards-McClung, M. Snow, M. Watrous, L. McDonald, 2017, Correlating NORM with the mineralogical composition of shale at the microstructural and bulk scale, Applied Geochemistry, 76:210-217, DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeochem.2016.11.004. Published, 07/2017.
    http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S...
  • Olsen A., Richards B., Schwerdt I., Heffernan S., Lusk R., Smith B., Jurrus E., Ruggiero C. & McDonald L. (2017). Quantifying Morphological Features of α-U3O8 with Image Analysis for Nuclear Forensics. Analytical Chemistry. Vol. 89, 3177-3183. Published, 03/07/2017.
  • McDonald L.W., Campbell J.A., Vercouter T. & Clark S.B. (2016). Characterization of Actinides Complexed to Nuclear Fuel Constituents Using ESI-MS. Analytical Chemistry. Vol. 88, 2614-2621. Published, 03/01/2016.
  • McDonald IV, Luther W., James A. Campbell, and Sue B. Clark. "Failure of ESI Spectra to Represent Metal-Complex Solution Composition: A Study of Lanthanide–Carboxylate Complexes." Analytical chemistry 86, no. 2 (2014): 1023-1029. Published, 01/14/2014.
    http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ac401751r
  • L. McDonald, S. Goheen, P. Donald, J. Campbell, “Identification and Quantitation of Various Inositols and O-Methylinositols Present in Plant Roots using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry,” Nematropica, 2012. Published, 06/01/2012.
  • S. P. Garland, S. C. Goheen, P. Donald, L. McDonald, J. A. Campbell, “Application of Derivatization Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry for the Identification and Quantitation of Pinitol in Plant Roots,” Analytical Letters, 2009. Published, 06/01/2009.

Research Keywords

  • Radiochemistry
  • Nuclear Forensics
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Analytical Chemistry

Presentations

  • L. McDonald IV “Uranium Particle Morphology at the University of Utah” MODE Workshop (2022. Conference Paper, Refereed, Presented, 03/2022.
  • Quantifying Particle Morphology to Process History for Nuclear Forensics," . Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 10/14/2020.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, and C. Nizinski "Geographical Signatures of Uranium Oxides," Texas A&M University (2020). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/05/2020.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, and C. Nizinski "Morphological and Stable Isotope Signatures of Uranium Oxides," Nuclear Forensics Workshop at Los Alamos National Laboratory (2020). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 01/22/2020.
  • L. McDonald, G. Sjoden "Processing Signatures of Uranium Oxides” Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 01/10/2020.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, C. Nizinski, and S. Heffernan "Quantifying Morphological Features of Uranium Oxides for Nuclear Forensics” University of Alaska-Fairbanks (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/06/2019.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, C. Nizinski, and S. Heffernan "Quantifying Morphological Features of Uranium Oxides for Nuclear Forensics” Materials Research Society Fall Meeting (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/05/2019.
  • L.W. McDonald IV, “Investigation of Morphological Characteristics of U-Materials,” Joint DTRA/CWMD Nuclear Program Technical Review (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/12/2019.
  • L.W. McDonald IV, “Identification of Morphological and Oxygen Isotopic Signatures in Uranium Oxides,” Joint DTRA/CWMD Nuclear Program Technical Review (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/10/2019.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, C. Nizinski, and S. Heffernan "Processing History and Geographical Origin Signatures of U-Oxides," Pennsylvania State University (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/05/2019.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, C. Nizinski, and S. Heffernan "Processing History and Geographical Origin Signatures of U-Oxides," University of Missouri (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/05/2019.
  • L. McDonald, E. Abbott, A. Hanson, M. Klosterman, C. Nizinski, and S. Heffernan “Processing History and Geographical Origin Signatures of U-Oxides,” Pennsylvania State University (2019). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/12/2019.
  • L. McDonald, M. Klosterman. “Processing History and Geographical Origin Signatures of U-Oxides from SEM, P-XRD, and 18O/16O Ratios” Air Force Technical Applications Center (AFTAC) (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 11/13/2018.
  • L. McDonald, M. Klosterman, E. Abbott, A. Hanson “Investigation of Morphological and Oxygen Isotope Signatures for Nuclear Forensics” Defense Threat Reduction Agency (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/14/2018.
  • L. McDonald, I. Schwerdt, A. Olsen, E. Abbott, A. Hanson “Investigation of Morphological and Oxygen Isotope Signatures for Nuclear Forensics” 2nd Annual Interagency Technical Nuclear Forensics Technical Review, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 08/02/2018.
  • L. McDonald, S. Heffernan, M. Klosterman, I. Schwerdt, A. Olsen “Quantifying Morphological and Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of UO2 based on Production History” Institute of Nuclear Materials Management, Nuclear Materials Science, Processing and Signature Discover Workshop (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 05/03/2018.
  • L. McDonald, S. Heffernan, M. Klosterman, I. Schwerdt, A. Olsen “Quantifying Oxygen Isotopic Signatures and Uranium Oxide Morphology for Process History Signatures” Colorado School of Mines (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/08/2018.
  • L. McDonald, S. Heffernan, M. Klosterman, I. Schwerdt, A. Olsen “Quantifying Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of UO2 based on Production History” Los Alamos National Laboratory, Center for Nonlinear Studies (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/20/2018.
  • L. McDonald, S. Heffernan, M. Klosterman, I. Schwerdt, A. Olsen “Quantifying Oxygen Isotopic Signatures of UO2 based on Production History” Georgia Institute of Technology (2018). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/08/2018.
  • L. McDonald, M. Klosterman, E. Abbott “Investigation of Morphological and Oxygen Isotope Signatures for Nuclear Forensics” Defense Threat Reduction Agency (2017). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 09/14/2017.
  • L. McDonald, I. Schwerdt, A. Olsen “Investigation of Morphological and Oxygen Isotope Signatures for Nuclear Forensics” 1st Annual Interagency Technical Nuclear Forensics Technical Review, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (2017). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 07/26/2017.
  • L. McDonald “Non-Traditional Signatures in Nuclear Forensics” University of Notre Dame (2017). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 03/08/2017.
  • L. McDonald “Interfacial Complexes in Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing” Pittsburg Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (2015). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 02/16/2015.
  • L. McDonald “Improving Radiochemical Separations for Nuclear Forensics” Alamos National Laboratory (2014). Invited Talk/Keynote, Presented, 12/04/2014.
  • L. McDonald “Interfacial Complexes in Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing” PITTCON (2015). Invited Talk/Keynote, Accepted, 11/14/2014.

Research Groups

  • Trenton Kirkham, Undergraduate Student. 01/09/2017 - 05/31/2018.
  • Joseph Santora, Undergraduate Student. Chemical Engineering. 01/06/2014 - 05/16/2014. Awards/Scholarships/Stipends: Joseph has been awarded multiple SULI internship at Idaho National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Geographical Regions of Interest

  • France
    Advanced Spent Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing.
  • Russian Federation
    Mayak environmental remediation.

Grants, Contracts & Research Gifts

  • NUCLEAR FORENSICS SUMMER SCH. PI: MCDONALD IV,LUTHER W. DOE BATTELLE ENERGY ALLIANCE,, 05/23/2018 - 03/31/2019. Total project budget to date: $205,233.00
  • ANALYSIS NUCLEAR FORENSIC DATA. PI: TASDIZEN,TOLGA. Co-PI(s): MCDONALD IV,LUTHER W. US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECU, 09/01/2016 - 08/31/2019. Total project budget to date: $235,379.00
  • NUCLEAR FORENSICS. PI: MCDONALD IV,LUTHER W. US DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECU, 09/01/2015 - 08/31/2019. Total project budget to date: $707,575.00