U3Si2 behavior in H2O: Part I, flowing steam and the effect of hydrogen

作者：Wood E Sooby^*; White J T; Grote C J; Nelson A T

来源：Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2018, 501: 404-412.

DOI：10.1016/j.jnucmat.2018.01.002

Recent interest in U3Si2 as an advanced light water reactor fuel has driven assessment of numerous properties, but characterization of its response to H2O environments is absent from the literature. The behavior of U3Si2 in H2O containing atmospheres is investigated and presented in a two-part series of articles aimed to understand the degradation mechanism of U3Si2 in H2O. Reported here are thermogravimetric data for U3Si2 exposed to flowing steam at 250-470 degrees C. Additionally the response of U3Si2 to flowing Ar-6% H-2 from 350 to 400 degrees C is presented. Microstructural degradation is observed following hours of exposure at 350 degrees C in steam. U3Si2 undergoes pulverization on the timescale of minutes when temperatures are increased above 400 degrees C. This mechanism is accelerated in flowing Ar-H2 at the same temperatures.

• 出版日期2018-4-1
• 单位Los Alamos