Some Properties of Plutonium and Its Alloys; QUELQUES PROPRIETES DU PLUTONIUM ET DE L'ALLIAGE ALUMINIUM- PLUTONIUM
The results of a dilatometric study of the phase changes of very pure plutonium are reported. Very sharp phase changes with strong expansions from one phase to the other were observed. The delta in equilibrium delta ' and delta in equilibrium xi transitions are very clear. The existence of a second order transformation in the delta phase on cooling was detected. The delta in equilibrium delta transformation is very rapid with a discontinuous character and it is independent of the cooling rate. In the xi phase the metal is plastic with deformations caused by very weak stresses. Al--Pu alloys were prepared with from 5 to 60 wt.% Pu. A comparative thermal analysis was made of Al-- Pu and Al-- U alloys and a precise determination was made of the temperature and eutectic compositions. The temperature of the peritectic reactions UAl/sub 3/ + liq yields UAl/sub 4/ and PuAl/sub 3/ + liq yields PuAl/sub 4/ was also determined. The coalescence kinetics of the Al--PuAl/sub 4/ eutectic were studied by a micrographic method and by following the evolution of hardness. The PuAl/sub 3/ yields PuAl/sub 4/ transformation to the solid state was investigated. (J.S.R.)
- Research Organization:
- Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique, Paris
- NSA Number:
- NSA-13-006784
- OSTI ID:
- 4282596
- Report Number(s):
- A/CONF.15/P/327
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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