In-situ TEM study of the ion irradiation behavior of U₃Si₂ and U₃Si₅

Journal Article · 31 August 2018 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.08.058 · OSTI ID:1473623

Yao, Tiankai  ^[1]; Gong, Bowen ^[1]; He, Lingfeng  ^[2]; Miao, Yinbin  ^[3]; Harp, Jason M.  ^[2]; Tonks, Michael  ^[4]; Lian, Jie ^[1]

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1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)
2. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
3. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)
4. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)

We report that U₃Si₂ and U₃Si₅ are two important uranium silicide phases currently under extensive investigation as potential fuel forms or components for light water reactors (LWRs) to enhance accident tolerance. In this paper, their irradiation behaviors are studied by ion beam irradiations with various ion mass and energies, and their microstructure evolution is investigated by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). U₃Si₂ can easily be amorphized by ion beam irradiations (by 1MeV Ar²⁺ or Kr²⁺) at room temperature with the critical amorphization dose less than 1 dpa. The critical amorphization temperatures of U₃Si₂ irradiated by 1MeV Kr²⁺ and 1MeV Ar²⁺ ion are determined as 580±10K and 540±5K, respectively. In contrast, U₃Si₅ remains crystalline up to 8 dpa at room temperature and is stable against ion irradiation-induced amorphization up to ~50 dpa by either 1MeV Kr²⁺ or 150KeV Kr⁺ at 623K. In conclusion, these results provide valuable experimental data to guide future irradiation experiments, support the relevant post irradiation examination, and serve as the experimental basis for the validation of advanced fuel performance models

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). Nuclear Energy University Programs (NEUP)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357; NE0008564
• OSTI ID: 1473623
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: C Vol. 511; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English