The effect of aluminum additions on the oxidation resistance of U3Si2

E. Sooby Wood; J. T. White; A. T. Nelson

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.045

The effect of aluminum additions on the oxidation resistance of U₃Si₂

E. Sooby Wood, J. T. White, A. T. Nelson

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

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effect of aluminum additions to U₃Si₂ is investigated as a means to improve the oxidation resistance of this nuclear fuel form. Four U-Si-Al compositions have been synthesized and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The onsets of breakaway oxidation are identified in air thermal ramp tests using thermogravimetric analysis. The final oxidation products following 1000° C air exposure are identified using x-ray diffraction and compared to those of UO₂ and U metal oxidized in the same manner. Thermogravimetric data acquired in this study indicates that increasing amounts of Al in U₃Si₂ further delays the onset of breakaway oxidation, providing enhanced oxidation resistance in air. Al₂O₃ formation on U₃Al₂Si₃ is observed following a heat treatment performed at 500° C in air, demonstrating the potential of Al additions to improve the oxidation resistance of U₃Si₂.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	84-90
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	489
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.045
State	Published - Jun 1 2017
Externally published	Yes

Funding

The authors would like to acknowledge Darrin Byler and Christopher Grote of the Materials Science and Technology Division at LANL for their technical assistance in this experimental effort. This work was conducted at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) under the National Nuclear Security Administration contract DE-AC52-06NA25396 and supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Nuclear Energy Fuel Cycle Research and Development program and the LANL Seaborg Institute for Actinide Science.

Funders	Funder number
LANL Seaborg Institute for Actinide Science
U.S. Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration	DE-AC52-06NA25396

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.045

Cite this

@article{8733e602e7ba4425becbf13d2b2f8a25,

title = "The effect of aluminum additions on the oxidation resistance of U3Si2",

abstract = "The effect of aluminum additions to U3Si2 is investigated as a means to improve the oxidation resistance of this nuclear fuel form. Four U-Si-Al compositions have been synthesized and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The onsets of breakaway oxidation are identified in air thermal ramp tests using thermogravimetric analysis. The final oxidation products following 1000° C air exposure are identified using x-ray diffraction and compared to those of UO2 and U metal oxidized in the same manner. Thermogravimetric data acquired in this study indicates that increasing amounts of Al in U3Si2 further delays the onset of breakaway oxidation, providing enhanced oxidation resistance in air. Al2O3 formation on U3Al2Si3 is observed following a heat treatment performed at 500° C in air, demonstrating the potential of Al additions to improve the oxidation resistance of U3Si2.",

author = "Wood, {E. Sooby} and White, {J. T.} and Nelson, {A. T.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017",

year = "2017",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.045",

language = "English",

volume = "489",

pages = "84--90",

journal = "Journal of Nuclear Materials",

issn = "0022-3115",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effect of aluminum additions on the oxidation resistance of U3Si2

AU - Wood, E. Sooby

AU - White, J. T.

AU - Nelson, A. T.

PY - 2017/6/1

Y1 - 2017/6/1

N2 - The effect of aluminum additions to U3Si2 is investigated as a means to improve the oxidation resistance of this nuclear fuel form. Four U-Si-Al compositions have been synthesized and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The onsets of breakaway oxidation are identified in air thermal ramp tests using thermogravimetric analysis. The final oxidation products following 1000° C air exposure are identified using x-ray diffraction and compared to those of UO2 and U metal oxidized in the same manner. Thermogravimetric data acquired in this study indicates that increasing amounts of Al in U3Si2 further delays the onset of breakaway oxidation, providing enhanced oxidation resistance in air. Al2O3 formation on U3Al2Si3 is observed following a heat treatment performed at 500° C in air, demonstrating the potential of Al additions to improve the oxidation resistance of U3Si2.

AB - The effect of aluminum additions to U3Si2 is investigated as a means to improve the oxidation resistance of this nuclear fuel form. Four U-Si-Al compositions have been synthesized and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. The onsets of breakaway oxidation are identified in air thermal ramp tests using thermogravimetric analysis. The final oxidation products following 1000° C air exposure are identified using x-ray diffraction and compared to those of UO2 and U metal oxidized in the same manner. Thermogravimetric data acquired in this study indicates that increasing amounts of Al in U3Si2 further delays the onset of breakaway oxidation, providing enhanced oxidation resistance in air. Al2O3 formation on U3Al2Si3 is observed following a heat treatment performed at 500° C in air, demonstrating the potential of Al additions to improve the oxidation resistance of U3Si2.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85016602381&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.045

DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.02.045

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85016602381

SN - 0022-3115

VL - 489

SP - 84

EP - 90

JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials

JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials

ER -

The effect of aluminum additions on the oxidation resistance of U₃Si₂

Abstract

Funding

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this