Uniform solid deuterium--tritium fuel layers resulting from radioactively induced sublimation

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.576246· OSTI ID:6316932

Hoffer, J K; Foreman, L R

Recently, it has been demonstrated that radioactive self-heating in a solid can induce preferential sublimation from thicker, warmer layers to thinner, cooler ones, thus tending to make the layers become uniform in thickness. Following experiments in pure T/sub 2/ , we have investigated solid deuterium--tritium (DT) in optical cells with isothermal boundaries. Backlighting permits direct observations with a telescope and a video camera. As the temperature is lowered, we follow the stages of condensation, freezing, and subsequent layer equilibration or isotropization. Measured rate constants for freshly prepared DT samples agree well with the theoretically determined value of 26.6 min. Due to the impedance presented by /sup 3/ He in the vapor space, the rate constants for solid layers made from aged DT increase by nearly 12 min/day. Equilibrated shells of solid DT exhibit slow optical degradation, presumably due to /sup 3/He accumulation at grain boundaries. The optical effects can be reduced by annealing near the triple point.

• Research Organization: Physics Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545
• OSTI ID: 6316932
• Journal Information: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States), Journal Name: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States) Vol. 7:3; ISSN JVTAD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700205* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Fuel
Heating
& Injection Systems
DEUTERIUM
ENERGY SOURCES
EVAPORATION
FABRICATION
FUELS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LAYERS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MATERIALS
NUCLEAR FUELS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOACTIVITY
REACTOR MATERIALS
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUBLIMATION