A STUDY OF THE TENSILE FRACTURE AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF URANIUM
Tensile tests and exhaustive metallographic examinations were conducted in an effort to relate the mechanical proper ties, the chemical compositions, and the structures of five grades of Savannah River Laboratory uranium to their irradiation stability. Subsequent tensile tests were conducted on seven types of National Lead (Ohio) uranium containing various levels of iron, aluminum, and silicon. Special attention was devoted to the mode of fracture exhibited by the various materials and to the existence of grain-boundary phases and intergranular fracture. No evidence was noted of grain-boundary failure at temperatures up to 450 deg C. Most or all failures were precipitated by secondary phases not associated with the grain boundaries. No definite connection was noted between the chemical composition and the tensile properties of the materials that could be related to their irradiation stability. A supplementary study concerned with the substructure and fine-particle distribution in cast uranium was also undertaken. The major accomplishment of this study was the development of metallographic techniques. Particularly interesting were the microstructures revealed by vacuum-cathodic etching. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Memorial Inst., Columbus, OH (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-18-016466
- OSTI ID:
- 4069329
- Report Number(s):
- BMI-1664
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-64
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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