Zr inclusions in actinide–Zr alloys: New data and ideas about how they form

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.01.065· OSTI ID:1178057

Janney, Dawn E. ^[1]; O’Holleran, Thomas P. ^[1]

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1. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

High-Zr inclusions are common in actinide–Zr alloys despite phase diagrams indicating that these alloys should not contain a high-Zr phase. The inclusions may contain enough Zr to cause significant differences between bulk compositions and those of inclusion-free areas, leading to possible errors in interpreting data if the inclusions are not considered. This paper presents data from high-Zr inclusions in a complex U–Np–Pu–Am–Zr–RE alloy. It is suggested that the high-Zr inclusions nucleated as high-Zr solid solutions at interfaces with high-actinide RE liquids, then unmixed to form nanometer-scale high-actinide sub-inclusions.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 1178057
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-14-32073; TRN: US1500190
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 460, Issue C; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ZIRCONIUM
INCLUSIONS
SOLID SOLUTIONS
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM ALLOYS
NEPTUNIUM ALLOYS
PLUTONIUM ALLOYS
AMERICIUM ALLOYS
RARE ERTH ALLOYS
PHASE STUDIES
LIQUIDS
ERRORS
INTERFACES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FCRD
MICROSTRUCTURES
NUCLEAR FUELS
TRANSURANIC ELEMENTS