| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Late News Poster Session
|
| Presentation Title |
O-29: U(Al<sub>x</sub>Si<sub>1-x</sub>)<sub>3</sub> Surface Composition and Its Interactions with Water Vapor at the Temperature Range of 300-800 K |
| Author(s) |
Shai Cohen, Maayan Matmor, Genadi Rafailov, Moshe Vaknin, Oshrat Appel, Noah Shamir, Shimon Zalkind |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Shai Cohen |
| Abstract Scope |
The interest in U-Al-Si system stems from its nuclear applications and scientific properties. Al-based alloys containing silicon are used as cladding for uranium fuels and diffusion can occur between the cladding and the fuel. Therefore, study of the U-Al cladding interface is important to determine the fuel rods reliability. In addition, U-Al alloys can be used for research reactor fuel systems. In this study, U(Al<sub>x</sub>Si<sub>1-x</sub>)<sub>3</sub> surface composition (x=0.57) and its interactions with H<sub>2</sub>O, at elevated temperatures, were studied, utilizing AES, XPS and DRS. It was found that heating the alloy in UHV causes aluminum segregation to the surface, forming a thin Al layer (~0.7 nm) at 700 K. Exposure of the surface to H<sub>2</sub>O at 300-500 K results in mild oxidation of U and Al components and adsorption of hydroxyls. Above 600 K, only the aluminum segregated overlayer is oxidized, forming a passivation layer that inhibits further alloy oxidation. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Characterization, |