The uranium monocarbide-plutonium monocarbide system

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(63)90129-6· OSTI ID:4629761

Rosen, S.; Nevitt, M. V.; Mitchell, A. W.

The (U, Pu)C phase field of the U-- Pu- C ternary system for temperatures below 835 deg C was constructed from metallographic and x-ray diffraction data. Uranium monocarbide forms a complete series of solid solutions with plutonium monocarbide. The (U, Pu)C phase is stoichiometric as regards its carbon content in a composition range from 0 to 35 at.% Pu. With a further increase in Pu content it deviates from ideal stoichiometry toward greater metal- tocarbon ratios to form the defect (U, Pu)C phase. Pu expands the unit cell of the monocarbide over the composition range in which it retains its stoichiometric character. In the region of the defect structure the lattice parameter decreases with increasing Pu content, the extent of the decrease being dependent upon the C content. Metallographic observations on cast alloys show that a transition in the microstructures occurs at about 10 at.% Pu. Alloys containing less Pu show a homogeneous carbide phase while alloys of higher Pu content have a cored carbide phase.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., Ill.; Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• NSA Number: NSA-17-039565
• OSTI ID: 4629761
• Report Number(s): ANL-FGF-369; UAC-6746; 0022-3115
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 9; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALLOTROPY
CARBON
LATTICES
METALLOGRAPHY
PLUTONIUM CARBIDES
QUANTITY RATIO
SOLID SOLUTIONS
URANIUM CARBIDES