| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Microstructural, Mechanical and Chemical Behavior of Solid Nuclear Fuel and Fuel-cladding Interface
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| Presentation Title |
The Evolution of the Microstructure of Low-enriched Uranium Fuels During Irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor |
| Author(s) |
Dennis D. Keiser, Brandon Miller, Jan-Fong Jue, Adam Robinson, Charlyne Smith |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Dennis D. Keiser |
| Abstract Scope |
The Material Management and Minimization Program is developing low enriched uranium fuels for application in research and test reactors. Different types of fuels are being developed, including a U-Mo monolithic fuel, a U-Mo dispersion fuel, and a uranium-silicide disperison fuel. To successfully qualify these fuel types, it is important to determine how the fuel microstructures evolve during irradiation. Microstructural characterization has been performed on samples from the different fuel types irradiated under different conditions in the Advanced Test Reactor. Techniques like scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and/or electron backscattered electron diffraction have helped uncover the microstructure of the different fuel materials after irradiation. This presentation will discuss how the characterization results for the different fuels can be used to improve understanding of phenomena like recrystallization, grain growth, fission gas bubble growth, solid fission product phase development, radiation stability, amorphization, and swelling behavior. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Characterization, Nuclear Materials, |