Atom probe tomography of segregation at grain boundaries and gas bubbles in neutron irradiated U-10 wt% Mo fuel

Journal Article · 04 April 2024 · Materials Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2024.136414 · OSTI ID:2439979

Arivu, Maalavan  ^[1]; Hoffman, Andrew ^[2]; Bachhav, Mukesh  ^[3]; Aitkaliyeva, Assel  ^[4]; Wu, Yaqiao  ^[5]; Miller, Brandon  ^[3]; Keiser, Dennis ^[3]; Gan, Jian  ^[3]; Wen, Haiming ^[1]

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1. Missouri Univ. of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO (United States)
2. Missouri Univ. of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO (United States); GE Research, Niskayuna, NY (United States)
3. Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
4. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
5. Boise State Univ., ID (United States); Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

During neutron irradiation to fission densities > 5.2 × 10²¹ fiss/cm³, Xe agglomerates forming gas bubbles of varying size within the U-Mo fuel matrix. Herein, segregation of fission products to Xe bubbles and grain boundaries (GB) were studied using atom probe tomography (APT). Segregation behavior was found to vary among GBs, small bubbles (<10 nm), and larger bubbles (>10 nm). Solid fission products were enriched at GBs and larger bubbles, but not at small bubbles. Finally, a denuded zone was identified adjacent to a > 10 nm Xe gas bubble and a GB.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• Grant/Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517
• OSTI ID: 2439979
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU--24-78897-Rev000
• Journal Information: Materials Letters, Journal Name: Materials Letters Vol. 365; ISSN 0167-577X
• Publisher: ElsevierCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English