| Abstract Scope |
Transmutation fuels or MOX fuel for plutonium multi-recycling but also HALEU fuel might experience some substantial alpha self-irradiation from their fabrication to their irradiation in reactor. The presence of the minor actinides 235U, 238Pu, 240Pu, 241Am in these fuels compared to more conventional LWR oxide fuels will rapidly generate some microstructural defects. The heat capacity of minor actinide bearing fuel samples having cumulated alpha-decay damage was measured during thermal annealing. The excess of heat released from various defect recovery stages was measured. Results from Transmission Electron Microscopy, helium thermal desorption, thermal diffusivity, and XRD post-annealing studies were used to support quantitatively the microscopic origin of radiation damage to heat capacity. It was shown that different defect annealing stages could be singled out and recovering mechanisms addressed for the specific composition in terms of actinide content. |