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Irradiation Mixing of Al into U3Si

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

R. C. Birtcher
Affiliation:
Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
F.-R. Ding
Affiliation:
Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
B. J. Kestel
Affiliation:
Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
P. M. Baldo
Affiliation:
Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
N. J. Zaluzec
Affiliation:
Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
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Abstract

Thermal and irradiation induced intermixing of uranium suicide reactor fuels with the aluminum cladding is an important consideration in understanding their fission gas and fuel swelling behavior. We have used Rutherford backscattering to follow the behavior of an Al thin film on U3Si and U3Si2 during 1.5 MeV Kr ion irradiation at temperatures of 30 and 350°C. After an initial dose during which no intermixing occurs, the Al mixes quickly into U3Si. The threshold dose is believed to be associated with an oxide layer between the Al and the uranium suicide. At 300°C and doses greater than threshold, rates of mixing and aluminide phase growth are extracted.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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