Texture Evolution in U-10Mo Nuclear Fuel Foils during Plasma Spray Coating with Zr
Abstract
A uranium-molybdenum alloy clad in 6061 aluminum has the potential to lead to a wide application of low-enriched uranium fuels, replacing highly enriched uranium for research reactors. A Zr coating acts as a diffusion barrier between the fuel and the aluminum cladding. In this study, U-10Mo (mass %) was coated with Zr using a plasma spray technique recognized as a fast and economical coating method. Neutron time-of-flight diffraction was used to study the microstructure evolution by quantifying the phase fractions of involved phases as well as the texture evolution of U-10Mo and Zr during plasma spray coating with Zr. Quantitative texture analysis revealed that the texture was drastically changed for high coating temperatures, likely due to selective grain growth. Furthermore, the Zr coating showed a preferential orientation, which could be correlated with the initial texture of the uncoated U-10Mo. This could be explained by the epitaxial growth of the Zr on the U-10Mo substrate.
- Authors:
-
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1483529
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-18-23413
Journal ID: ISSN 2412-382X
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Quantum Beam Science
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 2; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 2412-382X
- Publisher:
- MDPI
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; Neutron diffraction, U-10Mo
Citation Formats
Takajo, Shigehiro, Hollis, Kendall J., Cummins, Dustin R., Tegtmeier, Eric L., Dombrowski, David E., and Vogel, Sven C. Texture Evolution in U-10Mo Nuclear Fuel Foils during Plasma Spray Coating with Zr. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.3390/qubs2020012.
Takajo, Shigehiro, Hollis, Kendall J., Cummins, Dustin R., Tegtmeier, Eric L., Dombrowski, David E., & Vogel, Sven C. Texture Evolution in U-10Mo Nuclear Fuel Foils during Plasma Spray Coating with Zr. United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs2020012
Takajo, Shigehiro, Hollis, Kendall J., Cummins, Dustin R., Tegtmeier, Eric L., Dombrowski, David E., and Vogel, Sven C. Wed .
"Texture Evolution in U-10Mo Nuclear Fuel Foils during Plasma Spray Coating with Zr". United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs2020012. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1483529.
@article{osti_1483529,
title = {Texture Evolution in U-10Mo Nuclear Fuel Foils during Plasma Spray Coating with Zr},
author = {Takajo, Shigehiro and Hollis, Kendall J. and Cummins, Dustin R. and Tegtmeier, Eric L. and Dombrowski, David E. and Vogel, Sven C.},
abstractNote = {A uranium-molybdenum alloy clad in 6061 aluminum has the potential to lead to a wide application of low-enriched uranium fuels, replacing highly enriched uranium for research reactors. A Zr coating acts as a diffusion barrier between the fuel and the aluminum cladding. In this study, U-10Mo (mass %) was coated with Zr using a plasma spray technique recognized as a fast and economical coating method. Neutron time-of-flight diffraction was used to study the microstructure evolution by quantifying the phase fractions of involved phases as well as the texture evolution of U-10Mo and Zr during plasma spray coating with Zr. Quantitative texture analysis revealed that the texture was drastically changed for high coating temperatures, likely due to selective grain growth. Furthermore, the Zr coating showed a preferential orientation, which could be correlated with the initial texture of the uncoated U-10Mo. This could be explained by the epitaxial growth of the Zr on the U-10Mo substrate.},
doi = {10.3390/qubs2020012},
journal = {Quantum Beam Science},
number = 2,
volume = 2,
place = {United States},
year = {2018},
month = {5}
}
Figures / Tables:

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Figures / Tables found in this record: