Microstructural evolution of as-cast Th–U alloys |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Integrated Fuel Fabrication Facility, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India;2. Chemical Engg. Group, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India;3. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India;1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), P. O. Nilore, 45650, Islamabad, Pakistan;2. Department of Physics, COMSTATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan;1. Division of Applied Nuclear Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden;2. Nuclear data Section, International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA), Vienna, Austria;3. Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen, Switzerland;1. School of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST), Tehran, Iran;2. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, P.O. Box 11365-8486, Tehran, Iran;1. Research Laboratory for Nuclear Reactors, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8550 Japan;2. Tokyo City University, Tamazutsumi 1-28-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, 158-8557 Japan;3. Senior High School of Waseda University, Kamishakujii 3-31-1, Nerima-ku, Tokyo, 177-0044 Japan;4. National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Tokyo, 181-8588 Japan;1. Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (Materials), C/o-Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Hyderabad 500058, India;2. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India |
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| Abstract: | Microstructural evolution of as-cast (arc-melted) microstructures of selected compositions of Th–U alloys is investigated. Characterizations are done using XRD, optical microscopy, SEM, TEM and hardness measurement. Microstructures vary from single phase to biphasic with increase in uranium content in thorium. Uranium is present as spheroids (<1 μm) or islands (～7 μm) in high thorium (<10.7 wt.% U) alloys. With further increase in uranium content it forms an interconnected network of uranium rich phase and gets interspersed with similar network of thorium rich phase. High uranium Th–U alloys has dendrites of thorium dispersed in uranium rich phase. Grain size refinement of thorium rich phase is effective up to ≤10.7 wt.% uranium addition. Hardness of Th–U alloys increases with increase in uranium content. Comparatively lower hardness observed in Th–96U is due to presence of softer eutectic colonies in the microstructures. High thorium alloys have potentials for being utilized as dispersion type fuel with fissile uranium spread in thorium matrix. |
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| Keywords: | Thorium-uranium alloy Microstructure Hardness |
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