NSUF 14-504: Characterization of as-cast microstructures in U-Pu-Zr and U-Pu-Mo alloys

Plutonium-uranium-zirconium (Pu-U-Zr) and plutonium-uranium-molybdenum (Pu-U-Mo) alloys have attracted attention for application in advanced fast reactors. This application demands an understanding of fuel performance and detailed microstructure characterization prior to an alloy’s implementation in nuclear reactor environment. Despite their potential importance as reactor fuels, alloys U, Pu, Zr and Mo have not been thoroughly characterized, and microstructures of unirradiated materials have not been examined in detail. The project aims to characterize the microstructure and chemical composition of these as-cast metal fuel alloys. This proposal requests access to focused ion beam (FIB), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and local electrode atom probe (LEAP) instruments for thorough characterization of fuel microstructure and chemical analysis. The proposed work will lead to enhancement of fundamental understanding of fuel performance.

Informație Adițională

Cîmp Valoare
Awarded Institution Idaho National Laboratory
Embargo End Date 2026-02-27
Facility Tech Lead Mukesh Bachhav
NSUF Call FY 2014 RTE 3rd Call
PI Assel Aitkaliyeva
Project Member Professor Assel Aitkaliyeva, Assistant Professor - University of Florida (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1481-6804)
Project Member Dr. Cynthia Adkins, Staff Scientist - Idaho National Laboratory (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3834-6440)
Project Type RTE
Publication Characterization of Phases Formed Between U-PU-X Fuels and Fe-Based Cladding Assel Aitkaliyeva, Brandon Miller, Thomas O'Holleran, Rory Kennedy Microscopy and Microanalysis 20 2014-12-05 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1431927614010939
Publication Fuel-Cladding Interaction Between U-Pu-Zr Fuel and Fe Assel Aitkaliyeva, James Cole, Brandon Miller, Cynthia Adkins Metallurgical and Materials Transactions E 2 2015-12-07 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40553-015-0059-4
RTE Number 504