Spark plasma sintering (SPS) densified U3Si2 pellets: Microstructure control and enhanced mechanical and oxidation properties

Gong, Bowen; Yao, Tiankai; Lei, Penghui; Harp, Jason; Nelson, Andrew; Lian, Jie

doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.154022

Title: Spark plasma sintering (SPS) densified U₃Si₂ pellets: Microstructure control and enhanced mechanical and oxidation properties

Journal Article · Fri Jan 24 00:00:00 EST 2020 · Journal of Alloys and Compounds

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.154022· OSTI ID:1606035

Gong, Bowen ^[1];

^[2];

^[1];

^[3];

^[3]; Lian, Jie ^[1]

Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States); Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Dense U₃Si₂ pellets with controlled grain structure and enhanced thermal-mechanical and oxidation properties are synthesized with spark plasma sintering (SPS). Microstructure and phase composition of the SPS densified pellets are characterized systematically using SEM, EDS, and XRD. Thermal-mechanical properties and oxidation behavior of the sintered silicide fuel pellets are analyzed by laser flash, indentation, and dynamic thermogravimetric analysis. Dense U₃Si₂ pellets are consolidated by combining high energy ball milling and rapid sintering by SPS, and the microstructure structures are controlled from micron-sized (~5.7 μm grain size) for conventional silicide to a nanocrystalline matrix with an average grain size of ~280 nm. A dominant phase of distorted U₃Si₂ was identified with lattice expansion due to residual thermal stress upon SPS consolidation and rapid cooling processes. Both micron-sized and nano-sized pellets show exceptional thermal transport properties, consistent with monolithic silicides reported in literature. The SPS-densified pellets possess simultaneously high hardness and fracture toughness. The SPS-densified silicide pellets also demonstrate exceptional oxidation performance with extended onset oxidation temperature above 500 °C and reduced oxidation kinetics, particularly for nano-sized pellets. A strong strain effect was proposed in which compressive stress in nano-sized pellets enhances the oxidation resistance of silicide fuels, as evidenced by the degradation of oxidation performance upon strain relaxation by isothermal annealing. The correlation among the sintering process – microstructure control – physical properties and fuel behavior is established. A new concept of strain engineering is proposed further properties optimization, enabling the development of potential oxidation and corrosion-resistant silicides with extended performance, the key technological challenge of U₃Si₂ as the leading concept of accident tolerant fuels.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725; NE0008532

OSTI ID:: 1606035

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1596866

Journal Information:: Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Vol. 825, Issue C; ISSN 0925-8388

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 28 works

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Title: Spark plasma sintering (SPS) densified U₃Si₂ pellets: Microstructure control and enhanced mechanical and oxidation properties