| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Microstructural, Mechanical, and Chemical Behavior of Solid Nuclear Fuel and Fuel-Cladding Interface II
|
| Presentation Title |
Arc-Melt Synthesis of Uranium Borides: A New Approach to Volatilization |
| Author(s) |
Jennifer Stansby, Mira Khair, Pio Bragado, Melody Ranger, Vanessa K Peterson, Edward G Obbard, Elizabeth Sooby |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Jennifer Stansby |
| Abstract Scope |
Uranium diboride (UB2) is under consideration as a high-density nuclear fuel due to its favorable atomic density and thermal conductivity, but a reproducible synthesis method is still needed. Since UB2 is a line compound and boron is volatile during melting, addition of excess boron can lead to formation of both U-UB2 and UB2-UB4 composites. Samples with a range of boron stoichiometries and isotopic compositions were fabricated and evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray and neutron diffraction. Previously, it was assumed any difference in mass during the melt can be attributed to volatilization of boron only. We now show that uranium is also lost during melting and outline a new approach to consistently target the line compound. We demonstrate how the method is applied to fabrication with B-11, enabling advanced characterisation by in situ neutron diffraction to accelerate the development of next generation nuclear fuels. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Ceramics, Characterization |