Time-resolved phase and compositional homogenization of segregated uranium-niobium alloys above the monotectoid temperature

Jianzhong Zhang; Erik B. Watkins; Donald W. Brown; Bjorn Clausen; Peter Kenesei; Jun Sang Park

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153673

Time-resolved phase and compositional homogenization of segregated uranium-niobium alloys above the monotectoid temperature

Jianzhong Zhang
, Erik B. Watkins
, Donald W. Brown
, Bjorn Clausen
, Peter Kenesei
, Jun Sang Park

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

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

In-situ time-resolved synchrotron wide-angle and small-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS/SAXS) were conducted to study the homogenization of phase and composition in segregated U-6Nb. The sub-second time resolution data collected during heating to 750 °C and subsequent isothermal holds show that the integrated SAXS intensities correlate well with variations of lattice parameter, solute redistribution, and phase fraction, especially the volume fractions of orthorhombic α-uranium in the segregated alloy. Based on the combined datasets, the phase and compositional homogenization processes within the ∼ 0.01 mm³ volume probed by x-rays are rapid during heating above the monotectoid temperature, completed within approximately 15 s and 60 s, respectively. For the same alloy pre-aged at different time-at-temperatures, our data reveal subtle differences in the time domain for the completion of homogenization, indicating that the initial microstructures of the segregated U-Nb alloys, such as volume fraction of α-U, Nb content in the bcc phase, and possibly the lamellar morphologies, have discernible effects on homogenization. Overall, the present observations provide detailed real-time insight into the homogenization dynamics leading to equilibrium in the high temperature phase.

Original language	English
Article number	153673
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	564
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153673
State	Published - Jun 2022
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This work was supported by the US Department of Energy through the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of U.S. Department of Energy (Contract No. 89233218CNA000001 ). The research presented in this article was supported by the Science Campaign Programs. The synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments were performed at beamline 1-ID of Advanced Photon Source (APS). This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at Argonne National Laboratory and is based on research supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science- Basic Energy Sciences , under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357 . This work was supported by the US Department of Energy through the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration of U.S. Department of Energy (Contract No. 89233218CNA000001). The research presented in this article was supported by the Science Campaign Programs. The synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments were performed at beamline 1-ID of Advanced Photon Source (APS). This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at Argonne National Laboratory and is based on research supported by the U.S. DOE Office of Science-Basic Energy Sciences, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Keywords

Heat treatment
Homogenization kinetics
U-Nb alloy

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10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153673

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title = "Time-resolved phase and compositional homogenization of segregated uranium-niobium alloys above the monotectoid temperature",

abstract = "In-situ time-resolved synchrotron wide-angle and small-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS/SAXS) were conducted to study the homogenization of phase and composition in segregated U-6Nb. The sub-second time resolution data collected during heating to 750 °C and subsequent isothermal holds show that the integrated SAXS intensities correlate well with variations of lattice parameter, solute redistribution, and phase fraction, especially the volume fractions of orthorhombic α-uranium in the segregated alloy. Based on the combined datasets, the phase and compositional homogenization processes within the ∼ 0.01 mm3 volume probed by x-rays are rapid during heating above the monotectoid temperature, completed within approximately 15 s and 60 s, respectively. For the same alloy pre-aged at different time-at-temperatures, our data reveal subtle differences in the time domain for the completion of homogenization, indicating that the initial microstructures of the segregated U-Nb alloys, such as volume fraction of α-U, Nb content in the bcc phase, and possibly the lamellar morphologies, have discernible effects on homogenization. Overall, the present observations provide detailed real-time insight into the homogenization dynamics leading to equilibrium in the high temperature phase.",

keywords = "Heat treatment, Homogenization kinetics, U-Nb alloy",

author = "Jianzhong Zhang and Watkins, \{Erik B.\} and Brown, \{Donald W.\} and Bjorn Clausen and Peter Kenesei and Park, \{Jun Sang\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Author(s)",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153673",

language = "English",

volume = "564",

journal = "Journal of Nuclear Materials",

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T1 - Time-resolved phase and compositional homogenization of segregated uranium-niobium alloys above the monotectoid temperature

AU - Zhang, Jianzhong

AU - Watkins, Erik B.

AU - Brown, Donald W.

AU - Clausen, Bjorn

AU - Kenesei, Peter

AU - Park, Jun Sang

PY - 2022/6

Y1 - 2022/6

N2 - In-situ time-resolved synchrotron wide-angle and small-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS/SAXS) were conducted to study the homogenization of phase and composition in segregated U-6Nb. The sub-second time resolution data collected during heating to 750 °C and subsequent isothermal holds show that the integrated SAXS intensities correlate well with variations of lattice parameter, solute redistribution, and phase fraction, especially the volume fractions of orthorhombic α-uranium in the segregated alloy. Based on the combined datasets, the phase and compositional homogenization processes within the ∼ 0.01 mm3 volume probed by x-rays are rapid during heating above the monotectoid temperature, completed within approximately 15 s and 60 s, respectively. For the same alloy pre-aged at different time-at-temperatures, our data reveal subtle differences in the time domain for the completion of homogenization, indicating that the initial microstructures of the segregated U-Nb alloys, such as volume fraction of α-U, Nb content in the bcc phase, and possibly the lamellar morphologies, have discernible effects on homogenization. Overall, the present observations provide detailed real-time insight into the homogenization dynamics leading to equilibrium in the high temperature phase.

AB - In-situ time-resolved synchrotron wide-angle and small-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS/SAXS) were conducted to study the homogenization of phase and composition in segregated U-6Nb. The sub-second time resolution data collected during heating to 750 °C and subsequent isothermal holds show that the integrated SAXS intensities correlate well with variations of lattice parameter, solute redistribution, and phase fraction, especially the volume fractions of orthorhombic α-uranium in the segregated alloy. Based on the combined datasets, the phase and compositional homogenization processes within the ∼ 0.01 mm3 volume probed by x-rays are rapid during heating above the monotectoid temperature, completed within approximately 15 s and 60 s, respectively. For the same alloy pre-aged at different time-at-temperatures, our data reveal subtle differences in the time domain for the completion of homogenization, indicating that the initial microstructures of the segregated U-Nb alloys, such as volume fraction of α-U, Nb content in the bcc phase, and possibly the lamellar morphologies, have discernible effects on homogenization. Overall, the present observations provide detailed real-time insight into the homogenization dynamics leading to equilibrium in the high temperature phase.

KW - Heat treatment

KW - Homogenization kinetics

KW - U-Nb alloy

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85127201546

U2 - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153673

DO - 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2022.153673

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85127201546

SN - 0022-3115

VL - 564

JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials

JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials

M1 - 153673

ER -

Time-resolved phase and compositional homogenization of segregated uranium-niobium alloys above the monotectoid temperature

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Keywords

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