Microstructural Analysis of As-Processed U-10 wt% Mo Monolithic Fuel Plate in AA6061 Matrix with Zr Diffusion Barrier

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2010.04.016· OSTI ID:990829

Perez, E; Yao, B; Keiser, Jr, D D; Sohn, Y H

For higher U-loading in low-enriched U-10wt.%Mo fuels, monolithic fuel plate clad in AA6061 is being developed as a part of Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program. This paper reports the first characterization results from a monolithic U- 10wt.%Mo fuel plate with a Zr diffusion barrier that was fabricated as part of a plate fabrication campaign for irradiation testing in the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR). Both scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) were employed for analysis. At the interface between the Zr barrier and U-10wt.%Mo, going from Zr-to-U(Mo), UZr2, ?-UZr, Zr solidsolution and Mo2Zr phases were observed. The interface between AA6061 cladding and Zr barrier plate consisted of four layers, going from Al-to-Zr, (Al,Si)2Zr, (Al,Si)Zr3 (Al,Si)3Zr, and AlSi4Zr5. Irradiation behavior of these intermetallic phases is discussed based on their constituents. Characterization of as-fabricated phase constituents and microstructure would help understand the irradiation behavior of these fuel plates, interpret post-irradiation examination, and optimize the processing parameters of monolithic fuel system.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE - NA
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 990829
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-10-18803
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 402; ISSN 0022-3115
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
ALUMINIUM BASE ALLOYS
DIFFUSION BARRIERS
FABRICATION
FUEL PLATES
FUEL SYSTEMS
IRRADIATION
MICROSTRUCTURE
NUCLEAR FUELS
POST-IRRADIATION EXAMINATION
PROCESSING
RESEARCH AND TEST REACTORS
TEST REACTORS
TESTING
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
URANIUM-MOLYBDENUM FUELS
nuclear fuels
transmission electron microscopy
uranium alloy