| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Seaborg Institutes: Emerging Topics in Actinide Sciences
|
| Presentation Title |
Understanding Irradiation Effect on Thermal Conductivity of UO2, ThO2, U-ThO2 |
| Author(s) |
Ella Kartika Pek, Zilong Hua, Amey Khanolkar, Saqeeb Adnan, Shuxiang Zhou, Kaustubh Bawane, Marat Khafizov, David Hurley |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Ella Kartika Pek |
| Abstract Scope |
Nuclear fuel thermal conductivity directly impacts reactor safety and efficiency. This presentation summarizes our recent research on thermal transport behavior of actinide materials ThO2, UO2, and U-ThO2 in pristine and irradiated states. For direct comparisons, we irradiated the actinide materials to similar irradiation dosages (based on the dpa values). Through this study, we investigated the defect generation and evolution caused by irradiation and their effects on the thermal conductivity of the nuclear fuels. To better understand our experimental data, we also did a fundamental analysis of phonon scattering mechanisms, especially with the 5f electron related electron spins and various microstructural defects. Understanding how irradiation affects these different actinide fuel materials will contribute to better future performance modelling effort. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Characterization, Modeling and Simulation |