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The effects of irradiation on thermal conductivity of sintered Li/sub 2/O and. gamma. -LiAlO/sub 2/

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6842875

Li/sub 2/O and LiAlO/sub 2/ are candidates for solid breeder materials. Critical to fusion reactor breeder design efforts are thermophysical data. This investigation presents thermal conductivity data between 373--1173/degree/K for both materials following fast neutron irradiation. Samples were irradiated at 773 to 1173/degree/K to lithium burnups less than or equal to11.5 /times/ 10/sup 20/ captures/cm/sup 3/. Comparisons are made with unirradiated archive samples. Thermal conductivity of both materials was reduced at all irradiation times and temperatures; this is attributed to lattice damage. At lithium burnups greater than about 7 /times/ 10/sup 20/ capts/cm/sup 3/, measured thermal conductivity (at 500/degree/K) stabilized at approximately 70% of unirradiated values for both Li/sub 2/O and LiAlO/sub 2/. The most significant reductions occurred at low measurement temperatures. At higher measurement temperatures (>700/degree/K), observed thermal conductivity values approached unirradiated values. Measured thermal conductivity results were compared to calculations using high concentrations of radioinduced cation vacancies. Agreement is excellent at low lithium burnups, with slight differences at high burnup. 47 figs., 9 tabs.

Research Organization:
Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC06-87RL10930
OSTI ID:
6842875
Report Number(s):
WHC-EP-0136; ON: DE88015595
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English