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Change of Composition in Metallic Fuel Slug of U–Zr Alloy from High‐Temperature Annealing
Author(s) -
Youn YoungSang,
Lee Jeongmook,
Kim JongYun,
Kim Jong Hwan,
Song Hoon
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
bulletin of the korean chemical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.237
H-Index - 59
ISSN - 1229-5949
DOI - 10.1002/bkcs.10896
Subject(s) - alloy , uranium , materials science , annealing (glass) , carbide , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , zirconium , metal , metallurgy , amorphous solid , amorphous metal , oxide , chemical state , raman spectroscopy , chemical engineering , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , crystallography , physics , optics , engineering , chromatography
The U–Zr alloy is a candidate for fuel to be used as metallic fuel in sodium‐cooled fast reactors ( SFRs ). Its chemical composition before and after annealing at the operational temperature of SFRs (610°C) was investigated using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The original alloy surface contained uranium oxides with the U( IV ) and U( VI ) oxidation states, Zr 2 O 3 , and a low amount of uranium metal. After annealing at 610°C, the alloy was composed of uranium metal, uranium carbide, uranium oxide with the U(V) valence state, zirconium metal, and amorphous carbon. Meanwhile, X‐ray diffraction data indicate that the bulk composition of the alloy remained unchanged.