NSUF 25-5246: Evaluating the Radiation Tolerance of ZrC under Extreme Irradiation Conditions

The project aims to study the radiation tolerance of ZrC under extreme conditions (300 dpa at 800°C, 1000°C, and 1200°C) to evaluate its overall suitability as a replacement for the SiC layer in TRISO fuels. Compared to SiC, ZrC has lower hydrogen solubility and lower cesium retention, providing better barrier performance to contain fission products. Furthermore, our preliminary molecular dynamics simulations suggest that ZrC exhibits strong self-repair capability due to the presence of carbon vacancies. A perfect 1:1 atomic ratio does not naturally exist in ZrC. Instead, carbon-deficient compositions (sub-stoichiometry) introduce carbon vacancies, enhancing radiation tolerance. For this project, carbon self-ion irradiation will be performed at TAMU, followed by FIB and TEM characterization at CAES. SiC will be irradiated under the same conditions for comparison. This project aims to provide critical information for optimizing TRISO fuel performance.

Дополнительная информация

Поле	Величина
Awarded Institution	Texas A&M University
DOI	10.46936/NSUF/60013877
Embargo End Date	2027-03-26
Facility Tech Lead	Lin Shao, Mukesh Bachhav
Irradiation Facilities	Accelerator Laboratory
NSUF Call	FY 2025 RTE 1st Call
PI	Seungsu Kim
PIE Facilities	Microscopy and Characterization Suite
Prep Facilities	Accelerator Laboratory
Project Member	Professor Lin Shao, Professor - Texas A&M University (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5703-1153)
Project Member	Mr. Seungsu Kim, Graduate Research Assistant - Texas A&M University (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3433-7536)
Project Type	RTE