NSUF 12-344: Intercompound Formation and Radiation Responses of Diffusion Couple Made of Depleted Uranium and Metals

The project is aimed to understand intercompound formation and radiation responses of diffusion couples made of deleted uranium (DU) and various metals (Fe, Zr, Ni, Cr and Febased alloys). First, a polished single crystal DU is mechanical bonded with metals and form diffusion couples through thermal annealing in vacuum over a prolonged period, i.e. a few days to a few months, depending on kinetics of metal diffusion and regions of interest in phase diagrams. Second, part of the diffusion couples are irradiated either by heavy ions with high displacement per atom ration. Third, microstructure and microchemistry of samples, with or without irradiation, are compared, by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), focusedion beam (FIB), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 3-D atom probe tomography (APT). The project expect to have the following significant impact: (1) it will provide validation on phase diagram and phase field theories concerning uranium: (2) it will reveal radiation induced structural changes of different phases; (3) it will accelerate our understanding of fuelcladding interactions; (4) it will help to separate effects from grain boundaries for understanding materials’ intrinsic properties, since single crystals are used for fabrications of diffusion couples. Sample fabrications and ion irradiations will be performed at the Texas A&M University. The focus ion beam (FIB) and lift off technique will be used to prepare specimens and atomic scale characterization will be performed by the Idaho National Laboratory team. The project involves three investigators and one graduate student.

Tilleggsinformasjon

Felt Verdi
Awarded Institution Texas A&M University
Embargo End Date 2026-02-27
Facility Tech Lead Mukesh Bachhav
NSUF Call FY 2012 RTE Solicitation
PI Lin Shao
Project Member Professor Lin Shao, Professor - Texas A&M University (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5703-1153)
Project Member Bulent Sencer - Idaho National Laboratory
Project Member Dr. Rory Kennedy, Director, Glenn T. Seaborg Institute (GTSI) - Idaho National Laborator)
Project Type RTE
Publication Understanding the Phase Equilibrium and Irradiation Effects in Fe-Zr Diffusion Couples Assel Aitkaliyeva, Bulent Sencer, Lin Shao, Yongho Sohn, Rory Kennedy, Michael Myers Journal of Nuclear Materials 432 2013-01-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311512003868
Publication Intermetallic formation and interdiffusion in diffusion couples made of uranium and single crystal ion Tianyi Chen, Bulent Sencer, Lin Shao, Rory Kennedy Journal of Nuclear Materials 467 2015-12-01 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311515300167#ack0010
RTE Number 344