Characterization of U-Zr fuel with alloying additive Sb for immobilizing fission product lanthanides

Xie, Yi; Benson, Michael T.; King, James A.; Mariani, Robert D.; Zhang, Jinsuo

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.10.039

Title: Characterization of U-Zr fuel with alloying additive Sb for immobilizing fission product lanthanides

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Abstract

Fission product lanthanides can migrate to the fuel periphery and enhance fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI). Adding Sb into the fuel alloy to bind lanthanides and thus to prevent lanthanides from migration has been proposed. The U-Zr fuel alloys were fabricated with compositions of U-10Zr-4.1Sb, U-10Zr-4.1Sb-4Ce, U-10Zr-2.07Sb, and U-10Zr-2.07Sb-2Ce wt.% by arc melting, and analyzed under scanning electron microscope (SEM) for the microstructure and elemental compositions. In the Ce-free alloy, Sb was found in Sb-Zr precipitates; while in the Ce-contained alloy, Sb was found in the form of intermetallic compounds Ce₄Sb₃ and Ce₂Sb without any Sb-Zr precipitates. In conclusion, antimony has the preference to bind Ce over Zr, indicating Sb can effectively prevent Ce interaction with Fe to the extent. Cerium is bound to Sb and no ternary intermetallic Ce-Sb-Zr compound was found.

Authors:

^[1];

^[2];

^[2]; Mariani, Robert D. ^[2]; Zhang, Jinsuo ^[1]

Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Publication Date:: 2017-10-16

Research Org.:: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1461091

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1549422

Report Number(s):: INL-JOU-18-50160-Rev000
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115; TRN: US1901950

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517; NE0008574

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 498; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; metallic fuel; FCCI; fuel additive

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                    Xie, Yi, Benson, Michael T., King, James A., Mariani, Robert D., and Zhang, Jinsuo. Characterization of U-Zr fuel with alloying additive Sb for immobilizing fission product lanthanides.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.10.039.

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                    Xie, Yi, Benson, Michael T., King, James A., Mariani, Robert D., & Zhang, Jinsuo. Characterization of U-Zr fuel with alloying additive Sb for immobilizing fission product lanthanides.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.10.039

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                    Xie, Yi, Benson, Michael T., King, James A., Mariani, Robert D., and Zhang, Jinsuo. Mon .  
"Characterization of U-Zr fuel with alloying additive Sb for immobilizing fission product lanthanides".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.10.039.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1461091.

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@article{osti_1461091,

  title        = {Characterization of U-Zr fuel with alloying additive Sb for immobilizing fission product lanthanides},

  author       = {Xie, Yi and Benson, Michael T. and King, James A. and Mariani, Robert D. and Zhang, Jinsuo},

  abstractNote = {Fission product lanthanides can migrate to the fuel periphery and enhance fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI). Adding Sb into the fuel alloy to bind lanthanides and thus to prevent lanthanides from migration has been proposed. The U-Zr fuel alloys were fabricated with compositions of U-10Zr-4.1Sb, U-10Zr-4.1Sb-4Ce, U-10Zr-2.07Sb, and U-10Zr-2.07Sb-2Ce wt.% by arc melting, and analyzed under scanning electron microscope (SEM) for the microstructure and elemental compositions. In the Ce-free alloy, Sb was found in Sb-Zr precipitates; while in the Ce-contained alloy, Sb was found in the form of intermetallic compounds Ce4Sb3 and Ce2Sb without any Sb-Zr precipitates. In conclusion, antimony has the preference to bind Ce over Zr, indicating Sb can effectively prevent Ce interaction with Fe to the extent. Cerium is bound to Sb and no ternary intermetallic Ce-Sb-Zr compound was found.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.10.039},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 498,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2017},

  month        = {10}

}

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