Effect of High Si Content on U3Si2 Fuel Microstructure

Rosales, Jhonathan; van Rooyen, Isabella J.; Meher, Subhashish; Hoggan, Rita; Parga, Clemente; Harp, Jason

doi:10.1007/s11837-017-2654-6

Title: Effect of High Si Content on U₃Si₂ Fuel Microstructure

Abstract

The development of U₃Si₂ as an accident tolerant nuclear fuel has gained research interest due to its promising high uranium density and improved thermal properties. In the present study, three samples of U₃Si₂ fuel with varying silicon content have been fabricated by a conventional powder metallurgical route. Microstructural characterization via scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of other stoichiometry of uranium silicide such as USi and UO₂ in both samples. The detailed phase analysis by x-ray diffraction shows the presence of secondary phases, such as USi, U₃Si, and UO₂. The samples with higher concentrations of silicon content of 7.5 wt.% displays additional elemental Si. Furthermore, these samples also possess an increased amount of the USi phase as compared to that in the conventional sample with 7.3 wt.% silicon. The optimization of U₃Si₂ fuel performance through the understanding of the role of Si content on its microstructure has been discussed.

Authors:

Rosales, Jhonathan ^[1];

^[1];

^[1]; Parga, Clemente ^[1];

^[1]

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

Publication Date:: Thu Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2017

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

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

OSTI Identifier:: 1562900

Report Number(s):: INL/JOU-17-43263-Rev000
Journal ID: ISSN 1047-4838; TRN: US2000774

Grant/Contract Number:: AC07-05ID14517

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 70; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1047-4838

Publisher:: Springer

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; e fuel cycle & development program; Scanning transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction spectroscopy; x-ray spectroscopy; energy dispersive spectroscopy

Citation Formats


                    Rosales, Jhonathan, van Rooyen, Isabella J., Meher, Subhashish, Hoggan, Rita, Parga, Clemente, and Harp, Jason. Effect of High Si Content on U3Si2 Fuel Microstructure.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
Web.  doi:10.1007/s11837-017-2654-6.

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                    Rosales, Jhonathan, van Rooyen, Isabella J., Meher, Subhashish, Hoggan, Rita, Parga, Clemente, & Harp, Jason. Effect of High Si Content on U3Si2 Fuel Microstructure.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-017-2654-6

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                    Rosales, Jhonathan, van Rooyen, Isabella J., Meher, Subhashish, Hoggan, Rita, Parga, Clemente, and Harp, Jason. Thu .  
"Effect of High Si Content on U3Si2 Fuel Microstructure".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-017-2654-6.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1562900.

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@article{osti_1562900,

  title        = {Effect of High Si Content on U3Si2 Fuel Microstructure},

  author       = {Rosales, Jhonathan and van Rooyen, Isabella J. and Meher, Subhashish and Hoggan, Rita and Parga, Clemente and Harp, Jason},

  abstractNote = {The development of U3Si2 as an accident tolerant nuclear fuel has gained research interest due to its promising high uranium density and improved thermal properties. In the present study, three samples of U3Si2 fuel with varying silicon content have been fabricated by a conventional powder metallurgical route. Microstructural characterization via scanning and transmission electron microscopy reveals the presence of other stoichiometry of uranium silicide such as USi and UO2 in both samples. The detailed phase analysis by x-ray diffraction shows the presence of secondary phases, such as USi, U3Si, and UO2. The samples with higher concentrations of silicon content of 7.5 wt.% displays additional elemental Si. Furthermore, these samples also possess an increased amount of the USi phase as compared to that in the conventional sample with 7.3 wt.% silicon. The optimization of U3Si2 fuel performance through the understanding of the role of Si content on its microstructure has been discussed.},

  doi          = {10.1007/s11837-017-2654-6},

  journal      = {JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society},

  number       = 2,

  volume       = 70,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Thu Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2017},

  month        = {Thu Nov 16 00:00:00 EST 2017}

}

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Journal Article:

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https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-017-2654-6

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Cited by: 3 works

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Figures / Tables:

Table I: Key manufacturing parameters for U₃Si₂ pellets used in this study.

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Works referenced in this record:

Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds
journal, February 2004

Finlay, M. R.; Hofman, G. L.; Snelgrove, J. L.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 325, Issue 2-3
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2003.11.009

Thermal compatibility studies of U3Si2 dispersion fuels prepared with centrifugally atomized powder
journal, April 1999

Kim, Ki-Hwan; Park, Jong-Man; Kim, Chang-Kyu
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 270, Issue 3
DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3115(99)00005-7

Mechanochemical synthesis of uranium sesquisilicide
journal, August 2014

Alanko, Gordon A.; Butt, Darryl P.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 451, Issue 1-3
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.03.042

Thermophysical properties of $U_{3} {Si}_{2}$ to 1773 K
journal, September 2015

White, J. T.; Nelson, A. T.; Dunwoody, J. T.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 464
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.04.031

Development of powder metallurgy technique for synthesis of U₃Si₂ dispersoid
journal, December 2008

Sinha, V. P.; Mishra, G. P.; Pal, S.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 383, Issue 1-2, p. 196-200
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2008.08.046

Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation
journal, November 2015

Harp, Jason M.; Lessing, Paul A.; Hoggan, Rita E.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 466
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.027

Microstructure studies of interdiffusion behavior of U3Si2/Zircaloy-4 at 800 and 1000 °C
journal, April 2017

He, Lingfeng; Harp, Jason M.; Hoggan, Rita E.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 486
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.01.035

Characteristics of U ₃ Si and U ₃ Si ₂ Powders Prepared by Centrifugal Atomization
journal, December 1997

Kim, Ki Hwan; Lee, Don Bae; Kim, Chang Kyu
Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, Vol. 34, Issue 12
DOI: 10.1080/18811248.1997.9733801

Works referencing / citing this record:

A first-principles study on the influences of metal species Al, Zr, Mo and Tc on the mechanical properties of U ₃ Si ₂
journal, January 2020

Gao, Haigen; Liu, Yande; Hu, Jun
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, Vol. 22, Issue 4
DOI: 10.1039/c9cp03814k

Figures / Tables found in this record:

Figures/Tables have been extracted from DOE-funded journal article accepted manuscripts.

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Title: Effect of High Si Content on U3Si2 Fuel Microstructure

Abstract

Citation Formats

Figures / Tables:

Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds journal, February 2004

Thermal compatibility studies of U3Si2 dispersion fuels prepared with centrifugally atomized powder journal, April 1999

Mechanochemical synthesis of uranium sesquisilicide journal, August 2014

Thermophysical properties of U 3 Si 2 to 1773 K journal, September 2015

Development of powder metallurgy technique for synthesis of U3Si2 dispersoid journal, December 2008

Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation journal, November 2015

Microstructure studies of interdiffusion behavior of U3Si2/Zircaloy-4 at 800 and 1000 °C journal, April 2017

Characteristics of U 3 Si and U 3 Si 2 Powders Prepared by Centrifugal Atomization journal, December 1997

A first-principles study on the influences of metal species Al, Zr, Mo and Tc on the mechanical properties of U 3 Si 2 journal, January 2020

Title: Effect of High Si Content on U₃Si₂ Fuel Microstructure

Irradiation behaviour of uranium silicide compounds
journal, February 2004

Thermal compatibility studies of U3Si2 dispersion fuels prepared with centrifugally atomized powder
journal, April 1999

Mechanochemical synthesis of uranium sesquisilicide
journal, August 2014

Thermophysical properties of $U_{3} {Si}_{2}$ to 1773 K
journal, September 2015

Development of powder metallurgy technique for synthesis of U₃Si₂ dispersoid
journal, December 2008

Uranium silicide pellet fabrication by powder metallurgy for accident tolerant fuel evaluation and irradiation
journal, November 2015

Microstructure studies of interdiffusion behavior of U3Si2/Zircaloy-4 at 800 and 1000 °C
journal, April 2017

Characteristics of U ₃ Si and U ₃ Si ₂ Powders Prepared by Centrifugal Atomization
journal, December 1997

A first-principles study on the influences of metal species Al, Zr, Mo and Tc on the mechanical properties of U ₃ Si ₂
journal, January 2020