Ir/PuO/sub 2/ compatibility: transfer of impurities from plutonium dioxide to iridium metal during high temperature aging
Plutonium oxide fuel pellets for powering radioisotopic thermoelectric generators for NASA space vehicles are encapsulated in iridium which has been grain-boundary-stabilized with thorium and aluminum. After aging for 6 months at 1310/sup 0/C under vacuum, enhanced grain growth is observed in the near-surface grains of the iridium next to the PuO/sub 2/. Examination of the grain boundaries by AES and SIMS shows a depletion of thorium and aluminum. Iron, chromium, and nickel from the fuel were found to diffuse into the iridium along the grain boundaries. Enhanced grain growth appears to result from thorium depletion in the grain boundaries of the near-surface grains next to the fuel. However, in one instance grain growth was slowed by the formation of thorium oxide by oxygen diffusing up the grain boundaries.
- Research Organization:
- Du Pont de Nemours (E.I.) and Co., Aiken, SC (USA). Savannah River Lab.; Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC09-76SR00001
- OSTI ID:
- 5048057
- Report Number(s):
- DP-MS-83-85; CONF-840218-4; ON: DE84008301; TRN: 84-008440
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 113. annual meeting of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers, Los Angeles, CA, USA, 26 Feb 1984; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
IRIDIUM
COMPATIBILITY
PLUTONIUM DIOXIDE
RADIOISOTOPE BATTERIES
RADIOISOTOPE HEAT SOURCES
AGING
AUGER ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
GRAIN GROWTH
INTERFACES
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
SECONDARY EMISSION
THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
HEAT SOURCES
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATINUM METALS
PLUTONIUM COMPOUNDS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
SPECTROSCOPY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSURANIUM COMPOUNDS
NESDPS Office of Nuclear Energy Space and Defense Power Systems
070300* - Isotopic Power Supplies