URANIUM-ALUMINUM ALLOYS WITH LOW ALUMINUM CONTENT
In order to establish procedures for heat treatment of, U-Al alloys a solubility curve for Al in gamma U was plotted. The solubility of Al in alloys quench-hardened at 745 to 1000 deg C was determined by the appearance of the UAl/ sub 2/ phase which separated from the solid solution. In order to find an isotropic structure that would be resistant to thermal fatigue the authors investigated alloys of a near-eutectoid composition with 0.15, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.5% Al, prepared by smelting in graphite crucibles lined wiih Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/. To avoid contamination the heat treatment was carried out in an atmosphere or pure Ar. The cast alloys have a two-phase structure consisting of coarse, irregular grains of U and UAl/sub 2/ intermetalloids which separate in various forms depending on the Al content. It was found that additions of Al lower the temperature of beta - gamma transformation by approximately 15 deg C during heating and by 20 deg C during cooling. Investigation of the microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal fatigue under cyclic heating was carried out on cast alloys and those subjected to various heat treatments. It was established that introducing Al in the form of a UAl/sub 2/ intermetalloid immproves the resistance of U to thermal fatigue. Cast alloys with 0.15 io 0.5% Al exhibit better properties than cast or machined U. Heat-treated alloys have a much greater resistance to thermal fatigue ihan cast alloys. A procedure established for heat treatment of these alloys includes heating to 1040 deg C for 300 hours to dissolve the UAl/sub 2/, quenching in oil, and tempering at 580 deg C for two hours.
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-000603
- OSTI ID:
- 4221537
- Journal Information:
- Vsesoyuz. Sbornik Met. Yader. Energ. i Deistv. Obluchen. Mater. Moscow, Metallurgizdat, Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60; Related Information: Translated from Referat. Zhur. Met. No. 1, 1957, p.200
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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ALUMINUM- ALUMINUM ALLOYS- ALUMINUM OXIDES- ANISOTROPY- CONTAMINATION- CRUCIBLES- DIAGRAMS- EUTECTICS- GRAPHITE- HEAT TREATMENTS- HIGH TEMPERATURE- INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS- PHASE DIAGRAMS- PREPARATION- QUANTITY RATIO- SOLID SOLUTIONS- SOLUBILITY- STABILITY- TEMPERING- THERMAL STRESSES- URANIUM ALLOYS
ARGON- COOLING- GRAIN SIZE- HEATING- LATTICES- MECHANICAL PROPERTIES- METALLOGRAPHY- OILS- STABILITY- THERMAL STRESSES- URANIUM