Microstructural Characterization of Cast Metallic Transmutation Fuels
As part of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), the US Department of Energy (DOE) is participating in an international collaboration to irradiate prototypic actinide-bearing transmutation fuels in the French Phenix fast reactor (FUTURIX-FTA experiment). The INL has contributed to this experiment by fabricating and characterizing two compositions of metallic fuel; a non-fertile 48Pu-12Am-40Zr fuel and a low-fertile 35U-29Pu-4Am-2Np-30Zr fuel for insertion into the reactor. This paper highlights results of the microstructural analysis of these cast fuels, which were reasonably homogeneous in nature, but had several distinct phase constituents. Spatial variations in composition appeared to be more pronounced in the low-fertile fuel when compared to the non-fertile fuel.
- Research Organization:
- Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - NE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC07-99ID13727
- OSTI ID:
- 918183
- Report Number(s):
- INL/CON-07-12177
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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