Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel

Lach, Timothy G.; Edwards, Danny J.; Buck, Edgar C.; McNamara, Bruce K.; Schwantes, Jon M.; Clark, Richard A.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.04.044

Title: Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel

Abstract

Understanding the structural evolution of nuclear fuel and cladding during operation is essential for predicting performance during and after service in a light water reactor. In this work, we utilized focused ion beam-based preparation techniques to make transmission electron microscopy samples of the cross-section of the fuel-cladding interface oxide region of high burn-up BWR fuel. Using diffraction contrast STEM imaging and precession electron diffraction, we demonstrated that not only does fission product radiation stabilize the tetragonal phase of zirconium oxide at temperatures well below the equilibrium temperature, but it also causes grain growth that is proportional to the fission production radiation damage. The tetragonal phase ZrO₂ was exclusively present only in the region where fission product metal particles were found (~6µm), and then the tetragonal phase was also present, but mixed with monoclinic phase, up to the max depth at which fission product radiation is expected to be reached - ~8µm. Also, the grain size distribution of tetragonal phase was proportional to the integrated damage (excess vacancies generated) profile of the implanted fission product atoms.

Authors:

; Edwards, Danny J.; Buck, Edgar C.; McNamara, Bruce K.; Schwantes, Jon M.; Clark, Richard A.

Publication Date:: Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019

Research Org.:: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1547444

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1543318

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA-139875
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115; S0022311519300224; PII: S0022311519300224

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830

Resource Type:: Published Article

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Volume: 521 Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: Netherlands

Language:: English

Subject:: 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; Nuclear Fuel Cladding; Fission Product Radiation; Transmission Electron Microscopy; Precession Electron Diffraction; Fuel-cladding interface; Noble metal phase particles; Tetragonal phase zirconia

Citation Formats


                    Lach, Timothy G., Edwards, Danny J., Buck, Edgar C., McNamara, Bruce K., Schwantes, Jon M., and Clark, Richard A. Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel.  Netherlands: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.04.044.

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                    Lach, Timothy G., Edwards, Danny J., Buck, Edgar C., McNamara, Bruce K., Schwantes, Jon M., & Clark, Richard A. Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel.  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.04.044

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                    Lach, Timothy G., Edwards, Danny J., Buck, Edgar C., McNamara, Bruce K., Schwantes, Jon M., and Clark, Richard A. Thu .  
"Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel".  Netherlands.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.04.044.

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@article{osti_1547444,

  title        = {Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel},

  author       = {Lach, Timothy G. and Edwards, Danny J. and Buck, Edgar C. and McNamara, Bruce K. and Schwantes, Jon M. and Clark, Richard A.},

  abstractNote = {Understanding the structural evolution of nuclear fuel and cladding during operation is essential for predicting performance during and after service in a light water reactor. In this work, we utilized focused ion beam-based preparation techniques to make transmission electron microscopy samples of the cross-section of the fuel-cladding interface oxide region of high burn-up BWR fuel. Using diffraction contrast STEM imaging and precession electron diffraction, we demonstrated that not only does fission product radiation stabilize the tetragonal phase of zirconium oxide at temperatures well below the equilibrium temperature, but it also causes grain growth that is proportional to the fission production radiation damage. The tetragonal phase ZrO2 was exclusively present only in the region where fission product metal particles were found (~6µm), and then the tetragonal phase was also present, but mixed with monoclinic phase, up to the max depth at which fission product radiation is expected to be reached - ~8µm. Also, the grain size distribution of tetragonal phase was proportional to the integrated damage (excess vacancies generated) profile of the implanted fission product atoms.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.04.044},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 521,

  place        = {Netherlands},

  year         = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019},

  month        = {Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2019}

}

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Distribution of metallic fission-product particles in the cladding liner of spent nuclear fuel
journal, January 2020

Clark, Richard A.; Conroy, Michele A.; Lach, Timothy G.
npj Materials Degradation, Vol. 4, Issue 1
DOI: 10.1038/s41529-019-0107-0

A new non-diffusional gas bubble production route in used nuclear fuel: implications for fission gas release, cladding corrosion, and next generation fuel design
journal, January 2020

Schwantes, Jon M.; Bair, Jacob L.; Buck, Edgar C.
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Vol. 22, Issue 11
DOI: 10.1039/c9cp05363h

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Title: Fission recoil-induced microstructural evolution of the fuel-cladding interface [FCI] in high burnup BWR fuel

Abstract

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