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Microstructural Characterization of U-Nb-Zr, U-Mo-Nb, and U-Mo-Ti Alloys via Electron Microscopy

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Abstract

Ternary uranium molybdenum alloys are being examined for use as dispersion and monolithic nuclear fuels in research and test reactors. In this study, three such ternary alloys, with compositions U-10Nb-4Zr, U-8Mo-3Nb, and U-7Mo-3Ti in wt.%, were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with high angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging via scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). These alloys were homogenized at 950 °C for 96 h and were expected to be single-phase bcc-γ-U. However, upon examination, it was determined that despite homogenization, each of the alloys contained a small volume fraction precipitate phase. Through SEM and XRD, it was confirmed that the matrix retained the bcc-γ-U phase. TEM specimens were prepared using site-specific focused ion beam (FIB) in situ lift out (INLO) technique to include at least one precipitate from each alloy. By electron diffraction, the precipitate phases for the U-10Nb-4Zr, U-8Mo-3Nb, and U-7Mo-3Ti alloys were identified as bcc-(Nb,Zr), bcc-(Mo,Nb), and bcc-(Mo,Ti) solid solutions, respectively. The composition and phase information collected in this study was then used to construct ternary isotherms for each of these alloys at 950 °C.

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Acknowledgment

This work was performed with financial support from U.S. Department of Energy (DE-AC07-05ID14517) through Subcontract No. 00062267 administered by Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC and Idaho National Laboratory. Authors would like to thank Prof. John E. Morral at the Ohio State University and Dr. Ursula Kattner at National Institute of Standards and Technology for helpful discussion on phase equilibria.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Advanced Materials Processing and Analysis Center, Department of Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA

    A. Ewh, E. Perez & Y. H. Sohn

  2. Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, USA

    D. D. Keiser Jr.

Authors
  1. A. Ewh
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  2. E. Perez
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  3. D. D. Keiser Jr.
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  4. Y. H. Sohn
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Correspondence to Y. H. Sohn.

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Ewh, A., Perez, E., Keiser, D.D. et al. Microstructural Characterization of U-Nb-Zr, U-Mo-Nb, and U-Mo-Ti Alloys via Electron Microscopy. J. Phase Equilib. Diffus. 31, 216–222 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11669-009-9645-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11669-009-9645-4

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