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Chemical interaction of D9 alloy clad with B 4 C in liquid sodium: Studies employing XPS , XRD , and SEM
Author(s) -
Chandran Kannan,
Clinsha Pollayil Claxton,
Lavanya Mani,
Anthonysamy Savari,
Gnanasekar Kovilpillai Immanuvel
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/jace.16119
Subject(s) - x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , boron , alloy , materials science , sodium , boron carbide , valence (chemistry) , oxygen , carbide , analytical chemistry (journal) , nuclear chemistry , crystallography , chemistry , metallurgy , chemical engineering , chromatography , organic chemistry , engineering
A cell representing typical control rod subassembly of the prototype fast breeder reactor is designed to probe the liquid sodium‐mediated chemical interaction of boron carbide (B 4 C) control rod with the D9 alloy clad. The cell was equilibrated at 973 K for 5000 hours with liquid sodium in the annular gap. XRD shows the formation of Cr 3 C 2 and Fe 2 B along with oxides of Ni, Cr, and Fe. XPS studies reveal the diffusion of boron and carbon up to a depth of about 160 and 120 μm, respectively. A boron‐rich region is observed up to a depth of about 40 μm which consists of B 3+ arising from oxides and a nearly constant elemental boron region, extending up to a depth of 160 μm. The highly reacted zone extends up to a depth of about 40 μm consisting of oxides of most of the elements of D9 clad exhibiting a higher valence states. As the cell is helium leak tested, oxygen out gassed from B 4 C at 973 K played a major role in chemical oxidation of the constituents of the D9 alloy which can be minimized by using high‐density B 4 C.