Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U3Si2 at 450°C

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.02.004

Title: Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U₃Si₂ at 450°C

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Abstract

We report on the microstructure investigations of a U₃Si₂ specimen implanted by 84 MeV Xe ions at 450°C. In the region that corresponds to the highest irradiation dose, U₃Si₂ was found to decompose into a Si-enriched nanocrystalline USi matrix phase and a U-enriched amorphous inclusion phase. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to help understand the decomposition mechanism. Xe bubbles of different morphologies were observed in USi nano-grains, on USi grain boundaries, and phase boundaries. Original U₃Si₂ micro-grains were preserved on both sides of the irradiation damage peak region within the sample, implying a radiation dose threshold for decomposition of approximately 150 dpa at 450°C. In the preserved U₃Si₂ region beneath the irradiation damage peak, where critical amount of Xe ions were deposited, a monomodal size distribution of intragranular Xe bubbles with an average size of 2.68 nm formed. In both decomposed and preserved U₃Si₂, the size of Xe bubbles was found to be lower than 50 nm. Based on this observation, the fission gas behavior of U₃Si₂ is controllable and free of run-away swelling despite the occurrence of decomposition at this irradiation temperature. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Authors:

Miao, Yinbin ^[1];

^[2]; Mo, Kun ^[1]; Mei, Zhi-Gang ^[1]; Xu, Ruqing ^[1]; Zhu, Shaofei ^[1]; Yacout, Abdellatif M. ^[1]

Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Lemont, IL (United States)
Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Publication Date:: 2019-02-07

Research Org.:: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)

OSTI Identifier:: 1530396

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1636089

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357; AC07-051D14517; FOA-0001063

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 518; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; U3Si2; accident tolerant fuel; fission gas behavior; ion irradiation; light water reactor (LWR); microstructure characterization

Citation Formats


                    Miao, Yinbin, Harp, Jason, Mo, Kun, Mei, Zhi-Gang, Xu, Ruqing, Zhu, Shaofei, and Yacout, Abdellatif M. Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U3Si2 at 450°C.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
        Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.02.004.

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                    Miao, Yinbin, Harp, Jason, Mo, Kun, Mei, Zhi-Gang, Xu, Ruqing, Zhu, Shaofei, & Yacout, Abdellatif M. Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U3Si2 at 450°C.  United States.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.02.004.

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                    Miao, Yinbin, Harp, Jason, Mo, Kun, Mei, Zhi-Gang, Xu, Ruqing, Zhu, Shaofei, and Yacout, Abdellatif M. Thu .  
        "Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U3Si2 at 450°C".  United States.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.02.004.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1530396.

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@article{osti_1530396,

  title        = {Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U3Si2 at 450°C},

  author       = {Miao, Yinbin and Harp, Jason and Mo, Kun and Mei, Zhi-Gang and Xu, Ruqing and Zhu, Shaofei and Yacout, Abdellatif M.},

  abstractNote = {We report on the microstructure investigations of a U3Si2 specimen implanted by 84 MeV Xe ions at 450°C. In the region that corresponds to the highest irradiation dose, U3Si2 was found to decompose into a Si-enriched nanocrystalline USi matrix phase and a U-enriched amorphous inclusion phase. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to help understand the decomposition mechanism. Xe bubbles of different morphologies were observed in USi nano-grains, on USi grain boundaries, and phase boundaries. Original U3Si2 micro-grains were preserved on both sides of the irradiation damage peak region within the sample, implying a radiation dose threshold for decomposition of approximately 150 dpa at 450°C. In the preserved U3Si2 region beneath the irradiation damage peak, where critical amount of Xe ions were deposited, a monomodal size distribution of intragranular Xe bubbles with an average size of 2.68 nm formed. In both decomposed and preserved U3Si2, the size of Xe bubbles was found to be lower than 50 nm. Based on this observation, the fission gas behavior of U3Si2 is controllable and free of run-away swelling despite the occurrence of decomposition at this irradiation temperature. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.02.004},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 518,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2019},

  month        = {2}

}

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DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.02.004

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Title: Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U3Si2 at 450°C

Abstract

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Title: Phase decomposition and bubble evolution in Xe implanted U₃Si₂ at 450°C