STUDIES OF Al-U ALLOYS

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963 · Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkaishi (Japan)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3327/jaesj.5.467· OSTI ID:4661098

Mitamura, N; Maruya, K; Kimura, J

Al-- U alloy is one of the typical dispersion fuels which are now being used in high-performance research reactors. Due to a large fraction of intermetallic compound, Al-- U alloy containing upwards of 40 wt% U is inherently brittle and difficult to fabricate. This study was aimed at finding out basic requirements in manufacturing Al- U fuel materials. Several melting procedures were tried. Microstructures of castings and the effect of some additives to them, that is, a complete suppression of formation of equilibrium compound UAl/ sub 4/ in 45 wt% U--Al alloy, were investigated by using optical- and electron- microscopes and an x-ray diffractometer. As another procedure to make a homogeneous Al-- U alloy ingot, reduction of UF/sub 4/ with pure molten aluminum was successful with a good yield of better than 94%. Diffusion coefficient measurements of uranium in molten aluminum gave the following equation: log D (cm/ sup 2//sec/sup -1/) == coefficient of uranium, the reduction process with aluminum was considered superior than ordinary melting process in fabricating these alloys containing downward of 30 wt% U. (auth)

• Research Organization: Mitsubishi Atomic Power Ind., Inc., Japan
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-17-032500
• OSTI ID: 4661098
• Journal Information: Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkaishi (Japan), Journal Name: Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkaishi (Japan) Vol. Vol: 5; ISSN NGEGA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: Japanese

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BRITTLENESS
CASTING
DIFFRACTION
DIFFUSION
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FABRICATION
FUELS
INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
LIQUID METALS
MELTING
METALLOGRAPHY
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
REDUCTION
RESEARCH REACTORS
STABILITY
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM FLUORIDES
X RADIATION