Elucidating the effect of minor-actinide addition on fuel-cladding chemical interaction in an HT-9 clad U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel irradiated to 6.15 at.% burnup in EBR-II

IF 3.2 2区工程技术 Q3 MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Journal of Nuclear Materials Pub Date : 2025-08-07 DOI:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156100

Bao-Phong Nguyen , Luca Capriotti , Assel Aitkaliyeva , Yachun Wang

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Abstract

Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) were used to characterize the local fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI) in one cross-section taken from a HT-9 clad U-20.3Pu-10Zr-1.2Am-1.3Np (in wt.%) fuel irradiated to 6.15 at.% burnup with inner cladding temperatures ranging between 460–490 °C. Results showed that the total interaction thickness between fuel and cladding was <10 µm. Fe infiltrated the fuel to form U-Zr-Fe phases while fuel elements or lanthanides did not infiltrate into the cladding. Np was not involved in the formation of any phases in the examined locations; however, Am played a role by forming a ∼2 µm thick homogeneous Fe-Pu-Am planar front at the inner cladding wall. An oxidized Na layer existed in the fuel-cladding gap with Fe and lanthanide particles dispersed within, suggesting Na could facilitate the transport of fuel and cladding constituents. Secondary phases, including an FCC Zr-rich phase, lanthanide phases, and α’-Cr(Fe) were identified in the outer fuel and FCCI regions. This study suggests that, for the irradiation conditions specific to this cross-section, minor actinides have little impact on FCCI behavior beyond what would be observed in typical HT-9 clad U-Pu-Zr fuel pins systems.

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阐明添加少量锕系元素对辐照至6.15 at的HT-9包层U-Pu-Zr金属燃料包层化学相互作用的影响。EBR-II的燃耗百分比

利用扫描和透射电子显微镜（S/TEM）对辐照至6.15 at的HT-9包覆U-20.3Pu-10Zr-1.2Am-1.3Np （wt.%）燃料的一个截面进行了局部燃料包层化学相互作用（FCCI）的表征。%燃耗，内包层温度范围为460-490°C。结果表明，燃料与包壳之间的总相互作用厚度为10µm。Fe渗入燃料形成U-Zr-Fe相，而燃料元素或镧系元素未渗入包壳。在被检查的位置，Np不参与任何相的形成；然而，Am通过在内包层壁上形成约2µm厚的均匀Fe-Pu-Am平面前缘发挥了作用。在燃料包壳间隙中存在氧化的Na层，Fe和镧系元素颗粒分散在其中，表明Na可以促进燃料和包壳成分的运输。次要相包括FCC富锆相、镧系相和α′-Cr（Fe）。这项研究表明，对于特定于该截面的辐照条件，除了在典型的HT-9包覆U-Pu-Zr燃料管脚系统中观察到的影响外，次要锕系元素对FCCI行为的影响很小。

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来源期刊

Journal of Nuclear Materials 工程技术-材料科学：综合

CiteScore

5.70

自引率

25.80%

发文量

601

审稿时长

63 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nuclear Materials publishes high quality papers in materials research for nuclear applications, primarily fission reactors, fusion reactors, and similar environments including radiation areas of charged particle accelerators. Both original research and critical review papers covering experimental, theoretical, and computational aspects of either fundamental or applied nature are welcome. The breadth of the field is such that a wide range of processes and properties in the field of materials science and engineering is of interest to the readership, spanning atom-scale processes, microstructures, thermodynamics, mechanical properties, physical properties, and corrosion, for example. Topics covered by JNM Fission reactor materials, including fuels, cladding, core structures, pressure vessels, coolant interactions with materials, moderator and control components, fission product behavior. Materials aspects of the entire fuel cycle. Materials aspects of the actinides and their compounds. Performance of nuclear waste materials; materials aspects of the immobilization of wastes. Fusion reactor materials, including first walls, blankets, insulators and magnets. Neutron and charged particle radiation effects in materials, including defects, transmutations, microstructures, phase changes and macroscopic properties. Interaction of plasmas, ion beams, electron beams and electromagnetic radiation with materials relevant to nuclear systems.