Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-89wxm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-07T04:28:55.198Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Neutron Diffraction - A Probe for Grain Size and Preferred Orientation in Zircaloy-Clad Uranium

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2019

James W. Richardson Jr.
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Argonne, IL 60439
Melvin H. Mueller
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Argonne, IL 60439
Arthur J. Schultz
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) Argonne, IL 60439
Frederick K. Ross
Affiliation:
Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) Unversity of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
Daniel G. Reichel
Affiliation:
Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) Unversity of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211
Get access

Abstract

A recent goal of the ANL Intense Pulsed Neutron Source (IPNS) has been the fabrication of a new enriched uranium target with increased neutron flux (by a factor of 3) which is dimensionally stable under irradiation. Neutron diffraction, using several instruments both at IPNS and MURR, has been used as a probe to characterize the target material vith respect to grain size and preferred orientation. The samples studied were portions of the uranium discs (4" diameter X 1/2" thick) which, when stacked, form the target assembly at IPNS. The old target discs were fabricated as slices from a fast cooled casting (arc-melted, water cooled in a cylindrical mold) and possess small grain size and negligible orientation. The new enriched target discs, on the other hand, are being fabricated from a slow cooled material (graphite book-mold, natural cooling) and, prior to additional treatment, have a large grain size and a high degree of preferred orientation which could produce dimensional changes during fission as the target is used. Our conclusion from this investigation is that a β-phase heat treatment (quench from 730°C) is necessary to produce a finer grain and more nearly random texture in thg new enriched material. Based on our detailed texture measurements the anticipated target lifetime of several years appears feasible.

Type
V. X-Ray and Neutron Diffraction Applications Including Superconductors
Copyright
Copyright © International Centre for Diffraction Data 1987

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Lander, G. H. and Mueller, M.H. (1974), “Magnetically Induced Lattice Distortion in Actinide Compounds”, Phys. Rev. B.O. 1994-2003.Google Scholar
Faber, J. Jr., and Hitterman, R.L. (1983), IPNS Progress Report 1983-85, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 So. Cass Ave, Argonne, IL 60439.Google Scholar
Sturcken, E.F. and McDonell, I.V.R. (1962), “An X-ray Method for Predicting Anisotropic Irradiation Growth in Uranium”, J. Nucl. Mat., 7, 8591.Google Scholar