A novel approach to selection of dopant to immobilize neodymium in uranium-based metallic fuels

Journal Article · 01 December 2019 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151922 · OSTI ID:1576590

Khanal, Rabi ^[1]; Jerred, Nathan ^[2]; Benson, Michael T. ^[3]; Andersson, David A. ^[4]; Mariani, Robert D. ^[3]; Charit, Indrajit ^[5]; Choudhury, Samrat ^[5]

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1. Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States); University of Idaho
2. Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States); Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
3. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
4. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
5. Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States)

Formation of intermetallic compounds of lanthanide fission products within uranium-based metallic fuels with added dopant(s) has been proposed to arrest fission products within the metallic-matrix, before lanthanides chemically react with cladding materials, leading to degradation of the cladding. Unlike previous trial-and-error approach, here we present ab-initio based generic alloy-design principles to identify dopant(s) for a given lanthanide to form dopant-lanthanide intermetallic. Our method correctly identifies previously known dopant like Pd, as well as predict novel dopants (AsandSe) which can bind fission product Nd within U-matrix. Formation of our expected NdAs intermetallic within the U-matrix has been confirmed experimentally.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Idaho, Moscow, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: NE0008557; AC07-05ID14517; 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1576590
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Vol. 529; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English