Microstructural characterization of U-20Pu-10Zr-4Sb and U-20Pu-10Zr-4Sb-4Ln
Source abstract
Abstract
Antimony is being investigated as a potential additive to metallic fuel to control fuel-cladding chemical interactions (FCCI). The most detrimental elements involved in FCCI are fission product lanthanides, leading to brittle intermetallics and low melting eutectic phases. Previous investigations of Sb as an additive focused on U-10Zr, in wt. %, as the fuel. The current investigation expands that to include Pu in the fuel. Two alloys, U-20Pu-10Zr-4Sb and U-20Pu-10Zr-4Sb-4Ln (wt. %, Ln=53Nd-25Ce-16Pr-6La) have been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to characterize the fuel as-cast microstructure and the microstructure after introduction of lanthanides. Sb reacts with Zr initially, forming Zr 2Sb and Zr 5Sb 3 , with as much as 20 at. % interstitial Pu present. In the presence of lanthanides, Sb forms Ln 4Sb 3 with the lanthanides, containing ∼14 at. % Pu. The Pu is substitutional for the lanthanides in the crystal lattice.
Source: expertdata · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Nuclear Materials and Properties · Nuclear reactor physics and engineering · Fusion materials and technologies
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
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