NSUF 09-204: Advanced Damage Tolerant Ceramics: Candidates for Nuclear Structural Applications
The demands of Gen IV nuclear power plants for long service life under neutron radiation at hightemperature are severe. Advanced materials that would withstand high temperatures (up to 1000°C) to high doses in a neutron field would be ideal for reactor internal structures and would add to the long service life and reliability of the reactors. In this proposal, the response of a new class of machinable, conductive, layered, ternary transition metal carbides and nitrides – the so-called MAX phases - to neutron will be explored at temperatures up to 1000°C as a function of neutron fluence. The microstructures, electrical resistivity, and tensile strength of select MAX phases will be characterized following irradiation up to 7.0 x 10^21 n/cm2 (En > 0.1 MeV) at ~100, 500, and 1000°C in a research reactor. The proposed work would compliment research scheduled for lower temperatures and fluence at the MITR on neutron damage of this potentially important class of high temperature solids. Samples will be prepared at the leading university and neutron irradiated in a university reactor. The post-irradiation microstructures, resistivity and tensile properties will be characterized at the post-irradiation facilities at INL and SRNL. This work will provide a solid base of information to characterize the irradiation response of the MAX phases and provide a comparison to leading ceramics proposed for Gen IV in-core components in a high temperature environment. The MAX phases may prove to be superior materials for select in-reactor component design, especially with their creep resistance well beyond 1000ºC.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Abstract | The demands of Gen IV nuclear power plants for long service life under neutron radiation at hightemperature are severe. Advanced materials that would withstand high temperatures (up to 1000°C) to high doses in a neutron field would be ideal for reactor internal structures and would add to the long service life and reliability of the reactors. In this proposal, the response of a new class of machinable, conductive, layered, ternary transition metal carbides and nitrides – the so-called MAX phases - to neutron will be explored at temperatures up to 1000°C as a function of neutron fluence. The microstructures, electrical resistivity, and tensile strength of select MAX phases will be characterized following irradiation up to 7.0 x 10^21 n/cm2 (En > 0.1 MeV) at ~100, 500, and 1000°C in a research reactor. The proposed work would compliment research scheduled for lower temperatures and fluence at the MITR on neutron damage of this potentially important class of high temperature solids. Samples will be prepared at the leading university and neutron irradiated in a university reactor. The post-irradiation microstructures, resistivity and tensile properties will be characterized at the post-irradiation facilities at INL and SRNL. This work will provide a solid base of information to characterize the irradiation response of the MAX phases and provide a comparison to leading ceramics proposed for Gen IV in-core components in a high temperature environment. The MAX phases may prove to be superior materials for select in-reactor component design, especially with their creep resistance well beyond 1000ºC. |
| Award Announced Date | 2009-09-03T00:00:00 |
| Awarded Institution | Center for Advanced Energy Studies |
| Facility | Microscopy and Characterization Suite |
| Facility Tech Lead | Alina Zackrone, Yaqiao Wu |
| Irradiation Facility | None |
| PI | Michel Barsoum |
| PI Email | [email protected] |
| Project Type | Irradiation/PIE |
| RTE Number | 204 |