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Neutron Diffraction Study of Highly Radioactive U3Si2 Reactor Fuel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 February 2011

J. W. Richardson ,
R. C. Birtcher  and
M. H. Mueller
J. W. Richardson
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
R. C. Birtcher
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
M. H. Mueller
Affiliation:
Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439
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Abstract

Neutron diffraction data were collected from a highly radioactive, low-enrichment uraniumU3Si2/A1 fuel mini-plate that had been irradiated to 42% uranium burnup. The experiment was performed using the General Purpose Powder Diffractometer at IPNS. Most prominent in the diffraction pattern were the Bragg reflections from crystalline Al (fuel plate) and V (sample container). Rietveld refinement revealed a broad oscillatory signal from the U3Si2 typical of amorphous material. This “amorphous” scattering pattern has peaks at the same positions as the amorphous scattering components observed following room temperature neutron irradiation of U3Si2 powder. The irradiated U3Si2 is amorphous with a remote possibility that it consists of recrystallized nanocrystalline particles subject to the requirements that the crystallites: (i) are no larger than 100-200 Å in size, and (ii) possess a crystalline lattice which is distorted relative to the unirradiated material.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 373: Symposium Y – Microstructure of Irradiated Materials , 1994 , 233
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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References

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