A comparison of carbon impurities in pre- and post-melt uranium Part 1: Scanning electron microscopy analysis

Matthew J. Olszta; Jordan F. Corbey; Matthew T. Athon; Zachary F. Huber; Dallas D. Reilly; David G. Abrecht

doi:10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.166584

A comparison of carbon impurities in pre- and post-melt uranium Part 1: Scanning electron microscopy analysis

Matthew J. Olszta, Jordan F. Corbey, Matthew T. Athon, Zachary F. Huber, Dallas D. Reilly, David G. Abrecht

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although C impurities in U have been studied for decades, fundamental questions regarding their incorporation, migration, and transformations during metal processing still exist. In two written Parts, we compare the chemical speciation, distributions, crystallography, and morphologies (e.g., size and shape) of C-containing impurities in U metal both before and after melting using high-resolution analytical electron microscopy (AEM). This first Part demonstrates the variability of carbide inclusions in U metal with respect to their chemical phases and morphologies as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A variety of inclusion types, such as the pill-shaped U monocarbide (UC), previously only hypothesized, are summarized. Additionally, delineation between hopper-shaped U carbonitride U(C,N) and dendritic U carbide inclusions is discussed in relationship to historic literature.

Original language	English
Article number	166584
Journal	Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Volume	925
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.166584
State	Published - Dec 5 2022
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This research was supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development ( LDRD ) Program at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory ( PNNL ). PNNL is a multi-program national laboratory operated for the U.S. Department of Energy ( DOE ) by Battelle Memorial Institute under Contract No. DE-AC05–76RL01830 . Jesse Lang and Sulaiman Ezekiel Sannoh are recognized for their polishing expertise in preparing cross-section samples for SEM analysis. The authors also thank Scott Swenson for assistance with sample preparation, Susan Adami and Forrest Heller for assistance with C concentration analysis, and Bjorn Westman for helpful discussion regarding particle image analysis.

Funders	Funder number
U.S. Department of Energy
Battelle	DE-AC05–76RL01830
Laboratory Directed Research and Development
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Keywords

Carbide
Electron microscopy
Metal microstructure
Nuclear material
Uranium (U)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.166584

Cite this

@article{e1047d07a6b24af6b815ee4d7c5725e1,

title = "A comparison of carbon impurities in pre- and post-melt uranium Part 1: Scanning electron microscopy analysis",

abstract = "Although C impurities in U have been studied for decades, fundamental questions regarding their incorporation, migration, and transformations during metal processing still exist. In two written Parts, we compare the chemical speciation, distributions, crystallography, and morphologies (e.g., size and shape) of C-containing impurities in U metal both before and after melting using high-resolution analytical electron microscopy (AEM). This first Part demonstrates the variability of carbide inclusions in U metal with respect to their chemical phases and morphologies as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A variety of inclusion types, such as the pill-shaped U monocarbide (UC), previously only hypothesized, are summarized. Additionally, delineation between hopper-shaped U carbonitride U(C,N) and dendritic U carbide inclusions is discussed in relationship to historic literature.",

keywords = "Carbide, Electron microscopy, Metal microstructure, Nuclear material, Uranium (U)",

author = "Olszta, {Matthew J.} and Corbey, {Jordan F.} and Athon, {Matthew T.} and Huber, {Zachary F.} and Reilly, {Dallas D.} and Abrecht, {David G.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2022",

month = dec,

day = "5",

doi = "10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.166584",

language = "English",

volume = "925",

journal = "Journal of Alloys and Compounds",

issn = "0925-8388",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A comparison of carbon impurities in pre- and post-melt uranium Part 1

T2 - Scanning electron microscopy analysis

AU - Olszta, Matthew J.

AU - Corbey, Jordan F.

AU - Athon, Matthew T.

AU - Huber, Zachary F.

AU - Reilly, Dallas D.

AU - Abrecht, David G.

PY - 2022/12/5

Y1 - 2022/12/5

N2 - Although C impurities in U have been studied for decades, fundamental questions regarding their incorporation, migration, and transformations during metal processing still exist. In two written Parts, we compare the chemical speciation, distributions, crystallography, and morphologies (e.g., size and shape) of C-containing impurities in U metal both before and after melting using high-resolution analytical electron microscopy (AEM). This first Part demonstrates the variability of carbide inclusions in U metal with respect to their chemical phases and morphologies as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A variety of inclusion types, such as the pill-shaped U monocarbide (UC), previously only hypothesized, are summarized. Additionally, delineation between hopper-shaped U carbonitride U(C,N) and dendritic U carbide inclusions is discussed in relationship to historic literature.

AB - Although C impurities in U have been studied for decades, fundamental questions regarding their incorporation, migration, and transformations during metal processing still exist. In two written Parts, we compare the chemical speciation, distributions, crystallography, and morphologies (e.g., size and shape) of C-containing impurities in U metal both before and after melting using high-resolution analytical electron microscopy (AEM). This first Part demonstrates the variability of carbide inclusions in U metal with respect to their chemical phases and morphologies as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A variety of inclusion types, such as the pill-shaped U monocarbide (UC), previously only hypothesized, are summarized. Additionally, delineation between hopper-shaped U carbonitride U(C,N) and dendritic U carbide inclusions is discussed in relationship to historic literature.

KW - Carbide

KW - Electron microscopy

KW - Metal microstructure

KW - Nuclear material

KW - Uranium (U)

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85136761117&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.166584

DO - 10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.166584

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85136761117

SN - 0925-8388

VL - 925

JO - Journal of Alloys and Compounds

JF - Journal of Alloys and Compounds

M1 - 166584

ER -

A comparison of carbon impurities in pre- and post-melt uranium Part 1: Scanning electron microscopy analysis

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this