Neutron Irradiation Effect on Isotopically Tailored 11B4C

The present investigation was carried out to elucidate the effects of neutron irradiation on the dimensional change and thermal conductivity of isotopically tailored ¹¹B₄C. The specimens used in the present investigation are 99% ¹¹B-enriched ¹¹B₄C, 91% ¹⁰B-enriched ¹⁰B₄C, and β-SiC. ¹⁰B₄C was sampled from an irradiated material used as a neutron absorber in a “JOYO” MK-II control rod. The ¹¹B₄C and SiC specimens were irradiated in the experimental fast reactor “JOYO” to fluences of 1:94 × 10²⁶ n/m² (E > 0:1 MeV) at 530°C and 3:12 × 10²⁶ n/m² (E > 0:1 MeV) for ¹⁰B₄C, with a ¹⁰B burnup of 47:3 × 10²⁶ cap/m³. Measurements on changes in dimensions and thermal conductivity, as well as postirradiation annealing up to 1400°C, were carried out. The results of such measurements indicated that the changes in the dimensions and thermal conductivity of neutron-irradiated ¹¹B₄C were substantially smaller than those of ¹⁰B₄C and SiC. Postirradiation annealing measurements for ¹¹B₄C showed that the thermal conductivity was almost completely recovered at 1400°C. The changes in thermal conductivity by annealing were analyzed in terms ofphonon scattering theory. The onset of recovery of the thermal conductivity of ¹¹B₄C agreed well withirradiation temperature; however, the recovery of length did not coincide with irradiation temperature.