Abstract
The effect of microstructure on the internal hydriding behavior of both cast (1 mm grain size) and rolled (25 μm grain size) uranium containing hydrogen concentrations between 0 and 1.8 wppm were evaluated via small angle neutron scattering (SANS). Increasing hydrogen content up to 1.8 wppm in the cast uranium only weakly affected the average uranium hydride (UH3) precipitate size, calculated from the SANS data. Conversely, the UH3 phase fraction was found to strongly depend on the hydrogen content in the same cast samples. A substantially reduced UH3 particle size distribution was observed in the rolled uranium relative to cast uranium containing the same nominal hydrogen content. It is hypothesized that the suppression of UH3 formation in the rolled uranium is driven by increased hydrogen trapping at grain boundaries, and theoretical calculations that account for trap density, potency, and hydrogen diffusion kinetics support this hypothesis.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 101737 |
| Journal | Materialia |
| Volume | 28 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2023 |
Funding
Discussions with Mr. Nathan Peterson at the University of Virginia are gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy through Y-12 National Security Complex and its Plant Directed Research and Development program. Y-12 National Security Complex is operated by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS), for the National Nuclear Security Administration of U.S. Department of Energy (Contract DE-NA-0001942 ). This work benefited from the use of the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory . The authors declare that they have no competing or financial interests related to this study. This work of authorship and those incorporated herein were prepared by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) as accounts of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government under Contract DE-NA0001942. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor CNS, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility to any non-governmental recipient hereof for the accuracy, completeness, use made, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency or contractor thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency or contractor (other than the authors) thereof. Discussions with Mr. Nathan Peterson at the University of Virginia are gratefully acknowledged. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy through Y-12 National Security Complex and its Plant Directed Research and Development program. Y-12 National Security Complex is operated by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS), for the National Nuclear Security Administration of U.S. Department of Energy (Contract DE-NA-0001942). This work benefited from the use of the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The authors declare that they have no competing or financial interests related to this study.
Keywords
- Hydriding
- SANS
- Small angle neutron scattering
- UH
- Uranium
- Uranium hydride