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Title: Effects of Cr and Ni on Interdiffusion and Reaction between U and Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys

Abstract

Metallic U-alloy fuel cladded in steel has been examined for high temperature fast reactor technology wherein the fuel cladding chemical interaction is a challenge that requires a fundamental and quantitative understanding. In order to study the fundamental diffusional interactions between U with Fe and the alloying effect of Cr and Ni, solid-to-solid diffusion couples were assembled between pure U and Fe, Fe–15 wt.%Cr or Fe–15 wt.%Cr–15 wt.%Ni alloy, and annealed at high temperature ranging from 580 to 700 °C. The microstructures and concentration profiles that developed from the diffusion anneal were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), respectively. Thick U6Fe and thin UFe2 phases were observed to develop with solubilities: up to 2.5 at.% Ni in U6(Fe,Ni), up to 20 at.%Cr in U(Fe, Cr)2, and up to 7 at.%Cr and 14 at.% Ni in U(Fe, Cr, Ni)2. The interdiffusion and reactions in the U vs. Fe and U vs. Fe–Cr–Ni exhibited a similar temperature dependence, while the U vs. Fe–Cr diffusion couples, without the presence of Ni, yielded greater activation energy for the growth of intermetallic phases – lower growth rate at lower temperature but higher growth rate at higher temperature.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
DOE - NE
OSTI Identifier:
1132588
Report Number(s):
INL/JOU-13-30687
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115
DOE Contract Number:  
DE-AC07-05ID14517
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Nuclear Materials
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 451; Journal Issue: 1 - 3; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; Alloying Effects; Fuel-Cladding Chemical Interactions; Interdiffusion Flux

Citation Formats

Huang, K., Park, Y., Zhou, L., Coffey, K. R., Sohn, Y. H., Sencer, B. H., and Kennedy, J. R. Effects of Cr and Ni on Interdiffusion and Reaction between U and Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys. United States: N. p., 2014. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.04.009.
Huang, K., Park, Y., Zhou, L., Coffey, K. R., Sohn, Y. H., Sencer, B. H., & Kennedy, J. R. Effects of Cr and Ni on Interdiffusion and Reaction between U and Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.04.009
Huang, K., Park, Y., Zhou, L., Coffey, K. R., Sohn, Y. H., Sencer, B. H., and Kennedy, J. R. 2014. "Effects of Cr and Ni on Interdiffusion and Reaction between U and Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.04.009.
@article{osti_1132588,
title = {Effects of Cr and Ni on Interdiffusion and Reaction between U and Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys},
author = {Huang, K. and Park, Y. and Zhou, L. and Coffey, K. R. and Sohn, Y. H. and Sencer, B. H. and Kennedy, J. R.},
abstractNote = {Metallic U-alloy fuel cladded in steel has been examined for high temperature fast reactor technology wherein the fuel cladding chemical interaction is a challenge that requires a fundamental and quantitative understanding. In order to study the fundamental diffusional interactions between U with Fe and the alloying effect of Cr and Ni, solid-to-solid diffusion couples were assembled between pure U and Fe, Fe–15 wt.%Cr or Fe–15 wt.%Cr–15 wt.%Ni alloy, and annealed at high temperature ranging from 580 to 700 °C. The microstructures and concentration profiles that developed from the diffusion anneal were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), respectively. Thick U6Fe and thin UFe2 phases were observed to develop with solubilities: up to 2.5 at.% Ni in U6(Fe,Ni), up to 20 at.%Cr in U(Fe, Cr)2, and up to 7 at.%Cr and 14 at.% Ni in U(Fe, Cr, Ni)2. The interdiffusion and reactions in the U vs. Fe and U vs. Fe–Cr–Ni exhibited a similar temperature dependence, while the U vs. Fe–Cr diffusion couples, without the presence of Ni, yielded greater activation energy for the growth of intermetallic phases – lower growth rate at lower temperature but higher growth rate at higher temperature.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.04.009},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1132588}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},
issn = {0022-3115},
number = 1 - 3,
volume = 451,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014},
month = {Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2014}
}