Journal of Nuclear Materials最新文献

{"title":"Hybrid machine learning with optimization algorithm and resampling method for predicting the swelling rate of irradiated type 316 stainless steels","authors":"Van-Thanh Pham,&nbsp;Kyoon-Ho Cha,&nbsp;Jong-Sung Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156126","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156126","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study introduces innovative hybrid machine learning (ML) models that integrate seven state-of-the-art ML algorithms with the WEighted Relevance-based Combination Strategy (WERCS) and the Fire Hawks Optimizer (FHO) algorithm to predict the swelling rate of irradiated type 316 stainless steel (316 SS). A database of 333 experimental samples with 19 selected input features is utilized for model development. The WERCS method is used to address dataset limitations related to size and imbalance, while hyperparameter optimization is efficiently performed using cross-validation combined with the FHO algorithm. Performance evaluation across multiple metrics identifies the WERCS-FHO<img>CGB model, which combines WERCS, FHO, and categorical gradient boosting (CGB), as the most accurate for swelling rate prediction. To enhance interpretability, the Shapley Additive Explanations method is applied to analyze the global and local contributions of input variables, highlighting irradiation fluence, pre-irradiation fluence, dislocation density, temperature, and Si (wt.%) as the most influential factors. Additionally, the impact of these key parameters on the swelling rate of irradiated 316 SS is thoroughly investigated. Finally, a user-friendly graphical interface tool and web application are developed based on the WERCS-FHO-CGB model, providing a practical and cost-effective solution for predicting the swelling rate of irradiated 316 SS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156126"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144913624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrosion susceptibility and chromium loss in Austenitic steels and Nickel-based alloys in molten FLiNaK at 700 °C","authors":"Kyle Williams,&nbsp;Lavanya Upadhyaya,&nbsp;Nathaniel Thomas,&nbsp;Michenna Allen,&nbsp;Lin Shao","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156123","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156123","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A comparative study was conducted to evaluate the corrosion susceptibility of 316L, 316H, Ni 200, Inconel 625, and Hastelloy N in molten FLiNaK at 700 °C for 100 h. Top-view and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, combined with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping, was performed to investigate microstructural and compositional changes. SEM images were further processed by introducing a contrast threshold to map cavity distribution. Using EDS mapping, intergranular and intragranular Cr loss were separately characterized. The ranking of mass loss after corrosion, from highest to lowest, is as follows: 316H &gt; 316L &gt; Inconel 625 &gt; Hastelloy N &gt; Ni 200. Cr loss was found to be correlated with Mo concentration, in agreement with many previous studies, with higher Mo content resulting in reduced Cr loss. On the other hand, there is no evidence that the high carbon content in 316H enhances corrosion resistance. The relatively low solubility of carbon in austenite at the testing temperature limits the amount of dissolved carbon. Therefore, the carbon-retarded vacancy diffusion, and consequently the reduced Cr diffusion, were not observed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156123"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988951","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrosion resistance of Ta-based TaCrWNbTi refractory high–entropy alloy coating in static lead–bismuth eutectic at 550 and 650℃ after 1000h","authors":"Jiuguo Deng ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang ,&nbsp;Yudong Li ,&nbsp;Hao Liu ,&nbsp;Rongshuo Wang ,&nbsp;Yining Ren ,&nbsp;Yue Liu ,&nbsp;Ning Liu ,&nbsp;Ziyao Long ,&nbsp;Jijun Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Herein, a Ta-based TaCrWNbTi refractory high-entropy alloy coating (RHEA) coating was designed for retarding lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) corrosion. The coating was fabricated by magnetron sputtering technology and then exposed to static LBE at 550℃ and 650℃ for 1000 h. The performance was analyzed by SEM, GIXRD, TEM, and scratch test. The as-deposited coating exhibited a double-layer structure with upper BCC phase and lower amorphous structure. After LBE corrosion, an oxide layer (mainly Fe-oxide) was formed at the surface. The coating maintained good structural stability without apparent element consumption, and the interior of the coating had a low oxidization level. Additionally, the bonding strength of the coating was substantially enhanced due to the interdiffusion of elements between the coating and the substrate. These characteristics indicate that the coating possessed good corrosion resistance compared to FeCrAlW, TiNbZrMoV, CrNbZrMoV, TiCrZrMoV, TiNbZrMoCr, AlCrFeMoTi and AlTiCrFe coatings. However, the coating failed to prevent the outward diffusion of Fe. This is the current drawback of the coating, which stems from the insufficient barrier effect of the oxide layer. After solving this problem, it can be considered to be applied to nuclear power systems. This study indicates that structural stability, antioxidant properties and good adhesion are the key factors for corrosion-resistant coatings. For the HEA coating, improving the quality of the formed oxide layer may be one of the most critical measures for enhancing its corrosion resistance in the future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156118"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144988950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced He irradiation damage resistance at 850 °C of Ni-based alloy via W substitution for Mo: Experiments and DFT calculations","authors":"Yulin Wei ,&nbsp;Xiaoyue Li ,&nbsp;Linfeng Ye ,&nbsp;Ping Peng ,&nbsp;Min Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Ni-26W-6Cr alloy was subjected to He ion irradiation at 850 °C with gradient-fluence (1, 3, and 5 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm²), and the defect evolution and hardening behavior were characterized. Theoretical analyses were then conducted, including: He bubble pressure estimation via Young-Laplace and equation of state, hardness increment analysis using the dispersion barrier hardening model, and defect property calculations via first-principles DFT. Competitive defect evolution under different fluences was summarized and compared with Ni-Mo-Cr. The results show that under low-to-medium (L-M) fluences, dislocation loops grow accompanied by a decrease in number, while He bubbles preferentially occupy nucleation sites to form dense high-pressure networks, thereby restricting the growth of dislocation loops. Under medium-to-high (M-H) fluences, He bubbles increase in size and decrease in number via the migration and coalescence, forming sparse low-pressure networks that enable dislocation loops to break through restrictions and grow further. This defect evolution difference caused severe hardening in the L-M stage but a negligible hardness increase in the M-H stage. Compared with the Ni-Mo-Cr alloy, the sizes of He bubbles and dislocation loops in the Ni-W-Cr alloy are reduced by 3.24 nm and 9.01 nm, respectively, and the hardness increment decreased by 0.40 GPa, which confirms the inhibitory effect of W substitution for Mo on irradiation damage at 850 °C. Density functional theory (DFT) reveals the advantages of W substitution at the atomic scale. DFT results indicate that the excellent properties of the Ni-26W-6Cr alloy originate from the easy formation of W vacancies capable of dissolving He, as well as the reduced damage to lattice stability caused by He substitution defects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156122"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903271","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “UO2 microstructural evolutions induced by Ni, Mo, and W dopants for intentional forensics” [Journal of Nuclear Materials, Volume 614 (2025) 155885]","authors":"Denise Adorno Lopes ,&nbsp;Tash Ulrich ,&nbsp;Andrew Kercher ,&nbsp;Michael Bronikowski ,&nbsp;Kyle Samperton ,&nbsp;Spencer Scott ,&nbsp;Matthew Wellons ,&nbsp;Gage Green ,&nbsp;Tyler Spano ,&nbsp;Jason Harp ,&nbsp;Andrew Nelson ,&nbsp;Ashley E. Shields","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156111","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156111"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144889222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Through-thickness fracture behavior of neutron-irradiated nuclear graphite NBG-17 Using X-ray micro-CT","authors":"Gongyuan Liu ,&nbsp;Swapnil Morankar ,&nbsp;Arvin Cunningham ,&nbsp;William Chuirazzi ,&nbsp;William Windes ,&nbsp;Jing Du ,&nbsp;Aman Haque","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156119","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156119","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Achieving precise control over crack propagation in nuclear graphite and conducting quantitative analysis remain challenging. In this study, the through-thickness fracture behavior of pristine and neutron-irradiated (700 °C, ∼7 dpa) NBG-17 nuclear graphite was investigated using split-disc testing coupled with micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). A notably lower number of micropores was observed in the neutron-irradiated specimen. The fracture toughness of neutron-irradiated NBG-17 was measured to be 1.45 MPa√m, compared to 1.17 ± 0.05 MPa√m for the pristine specimen. In both materials, cracks were found to initiate at the filler–binder interface, and often correlated with microstructural features such as pores and thermal cracks. Crack bridging and deflections emerged as the primary toughening mechanisms in both unirradiated and irradiated NBG-17. However, compared with the pristine specimen, the cracks in the neutron-irradiated specimen were more likely to grow trans granularly, resulting in less deflected crack paths. The reduced micro-porosity and strengthened filler–binder boundaries were considered to be the cause of the observed differences in crack morphologies. This study provides a qualitative analysis of the fracture behavior of neutron-irradiated nuclear graphite in the absence of radiolytic oxidation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156119"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Thermodynamic modeling of the U-Nb-C and U-Ti-C systems over the entire composition and temperature ranges","authors":"Liang Zhang ,&nbsp;Shiyi Wen ,&nbsp;Yuling Liu ,&nbsp;Yong Du ,&nbsp;Jiaqing Yin ,&nbsp;Pei Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156121","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156121","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Knowledge about the phase equilibria of the U-Nb-C and U-Ti-C systems is critical for designing U-based alloys and UC nuclear fuels. The ionic two-sublattice model offers the advantage of describing the liquid phase in a large range of composition: metal, ionic and liquid carbon with a single set of parameters. In order to reasonably extend the current thermodynamic descriptions to oxide systems, the ionic two-sublattice model is used in this work to describe the liquid phase. However, the thermodynamic parameters for the liquid phase in the Nb-C and Ti-C systems have not been previously described using the ionic two-sublattice model, and there is no reliable thermodynamic description for the U-Nb-C system. In this work, the Nb-C and Ti-C binary systems were re-optimized, and the U-Nb-C and U-Ti-C ternary systems were assessed using the CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) approach, incorporating critically evaluated experimental phase equilibrium data. A set of self-consistent thermodynamic parameters was obtained to describe the phase equilibria in these systems. The calculated phase diagrams show excellent agreements with reliable experimental data. The developed thermodynamic descriptions provide a foundation for constructing multicomponent U-based thermodynamic databases and support the design of advanced nuclear materials, as well as impurity control in uranium alloys.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156121"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144916354","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Identification of Uranium Oxidation States Using Oxygen K-edge Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy” [Journal of Nuclear Materials 609 (2025) 155754]","authors":"Rachel E. Lim ,&nbsp;Alexander A. Baker ,&nbsp;Alexander S. Ditter ,&nbsp;S. Olivia Gunther ,&nbsp;David K. Shuh ,&nbsp;Jack M. Mayer ,&nbsp;Matthew A. Marcus ,&nbsp;Scott B. Donald ,&nbsp;Brandon W. Chung","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156110","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156110","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156110"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144886039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization and visualization of eutectic melt in B4C powder and pellet-based/304 stainless steel composite control rods under radiative heating","authors":"Zeeshan Ahmed ,&nbsp;Ravinder Kumar ,&nbsp;Avadhesh Kumar Sharma ,&nbsp;Ruicong Xu ,&nbsp;Ryo Yokoyama ,&nbsp;Walter Villanueva ,&nbsp;Hidemasa Yamano ,&nbsp;Marco Pellegrini ,&nbsp;Koji Okamoto","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The advancement of Sodium-cooled Fast Reactors (Generation IV) faces a key challenge in managing Core Disruptive Accidents (CDAs) caused by eutectic reactions between boron carbide (B₄C) and stainless steel (SS). This reaction causes earlier melting, potentially forming a molten pool containing boron, disrupting neutron balance and causing instability. Therefore, determining boron concentration and distribution in the solidified eutectic pool is critical. This study compares the behavior of B₄C in powder and pellet forms within SS hollow claddings, mimicking control rod designs, to confirm the presence of boron in the eutectic composition and characterize its phases upon solidification. Radiative heating, high-resolution visualization, and quantitative techniques were employed over a temperature of 1372 °C. Findings reveal that the eutectic temperature for pellets exceeds that for powder, with pellets showing fragmentation and powder exhibiting sintering during the failure process. SS cladding formed a melt in both cases; however, in the pellet case, it peeled off, while in the powder case, it ruptured. Visualization methods precisely identified the onset of eutectic melting and associated temperatures, differing between pellets and powder. Characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and hardness testing, confirmed boron ingress and revealed boride phases such as B_0.9Cr_0.9Fe_1.1, (Cr,Fe)₂B, γ-Fe, (Cr,Fe)₂₃(B,C)₆, and (Cr,Fe)₅B₃ in the eutectic melt. SEM and XPS analyses reveal that both boron and carbon diffuse and precipitate within the eutectic melt, providing new insights into its behavior and relocation dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156120"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144903273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Combined effects of radiation damage and He accumulation in Y2Ti2O7 borosilicate glass-ceramic composites","authors":"Menghan Jiang ,&nbsp;Anamul Haq Mir ,&nbsp;Mounib Bahri ,&nbsp;Yingjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Keith Arnold ,&nbsp;Nigel Browning ,&nbsp;Karl Whittle ,&nbsp;Maulik Patel","doi":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.156103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Glass-ceramics have been regarded as potential nuclear wasteforms for immobilization of high-level waste. Understanding material modifications due to combined damage by α-decay is the key in predicting long-term evolution of wasteforms. 10 keV in-situ helium implantation experiments were carried out on TEM specimens extracted from Y₂Ti₂O₇ glass-ceramic samples pre-irradiated with 7 MeV Au to understand the kinetics of helium bubble evolution, showing that the accumulation of He can lead to the nucleation of helium bubbles within the amorphous Y₂Ti₂O₇ ceramic phase at a critical concentration of 3.4 at.%. Structural modifications by Au irradiation were characterized using grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The STEM results revealed that complete amorphization of the pyrochlore structure occurred at <span><math><mn>5</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mn>14</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> Au/cm². A phase transformation to defect-fluorite structure is also observed at the irradiated interface. Besides, a potential Y-rich phase was identified within the glass matrix, which likely originated from the effects of irradiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":373,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Nuclear Materials","volume":"617 ","pages":"Article 156103"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144892750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}