Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A

, Volume 40, Issue 5, pp 1069–1079 | Cite as

Mechanical Properties of DU-xMo Alloys with x = 7 to 12 Weight Percent

  • Douglas E. Burkes
  • Ramprashad Prabhakaran
  • Jan-Fong Jue
  • Francine J. Rice
Article
First Online:

Abstract

Mechanical properties of six depleted uranium-molybdenum (U-Mo) alloys have been obtained using microhardness, quasistatic tensile tests, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) failure analysis. U-Mo alloy foils are currently under investigation for potential conversion of high power research reactors to low enriched uranium fuel. Although mechanical properties take on a secondary effect during irradiation, an understanding of the alloy behavior during fabrication and the effects of irradiation on the integrity of the fuel is essential. In general, the microhardness, yield strength, Young’s modulus, and ultimate tensile strength improved with increasing Mo content. Microhardness measurements were very sensitive to local composition, while the failure mode was significantly controlled by the impurity concentration of the alloy, especially carbon. Values obtained from literature are also provided with reasonable agreement, even though processing conditions and applications were quite different in some instances.

Keywords

Uranium Ultimate Tensile Strength Homogenization Treatment Molybdenum Content Dispersion Fuel 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Notes

Acknowledgments

Work supported by the United States Department of Energy, Office of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), under DOE Idaho Operations Office (Contract No. DE-AC07-05ID14517). The authors are especially grateful to the Fuels and Applied Sciences Building (FASB) and Electron Microscopy Laboratory (EML) staff. The authors specifically acknowledge Dr. Thomas Hartmann, Mr. Glenn Moore, Mr. Michael Chapple, Mr. Steven Steffler, Mr. Blair Park, Mrs. Terri Dixon, and Ms. Kristine Baker for their assistance with fabrication, sample preparation, and material transfers related to these experiments. Finally, the authors acknowledge the Health and Physics staff for their continued support of this work in the FASB and EML facilities.

References

  1. 1.
    J.L. Snelgrove, G.L. Hofman, M.K. Meyer, C.L. Trybus, and T.C. Wiencek: Nucl. Eng. Des., 1997, vol. 178, pp. 119–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. 2.
    A.N. Holden: Dispersion Fuel Elements, Gordon and Breach Science, 1968.Google Scholar
  3. 3.
    M. Ugajin, A. Itoh, M. Akabori, N. Ooka, and Y. Nakakura: J. Nucl. Mater., 1998, vol. 254, pp. 78–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. 4.
    M.K. Meyer, G.L. Hofman, T.C. Wiencek, S.L. Hayes, and J.L. Snelgrove: J. Nucl. Mater., 2001, vol. 299, pp. 175–79.ADSCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    R.F. Hills, B.R. Butcher, and B.W. Howlett: J. Nucl. Mater., 1964, vol. 11 (2), pp. 149–62.ADSCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. 6.
    J.H. Kittel, B.R.T. Frost, J.P. Mustelier, K.Q. Bagley, G.C. Crittenden, and J. Van Dievoet: J. Nucl. Mater., 1993, vol. 204, pp. 1–13.ADSCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. 7.
    P.E. Repas, R.H.I. Goodenow, and R.F. Hehemann: AMRA CR63-02/1F, U.S. Army Materials Research Agency, Watertown, MA, 1963.Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    G. Beghi: EURATOM EUR 4053 e, European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM), 1968.Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    J.A. Larrimore et al.: Seminar on Intense Neutron Source, USAEC-ENEA, Santa Fe, NM, 1966.Google Scholar
  10. 10.
    C.R. Clark, G.C. Knighton, M.K. Meyer, and G.L. Hofman: 2003 Int. Meeting on Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors, Chicago, IL, 2003, pp. 1–10.Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    LECO IR-412 Carbon Determinator Instruction Manual, Leco Corporation, St. Joseph, MI, 1995.Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    A.M. Nomine, D. Bedere, and D. Miannay: Physical Metallurgy of Uranium Alloys, Proc. 3rd Army Materials Technical Conf., J.J. Burke, D.A. Colling, A.E. Gorum, and J. Greenspan, eds., Vail, CO, 1974, pp. 657–99.Google Scholar
  13. 13.
    R.K. McGeary: United States Atomic Energy Commission Report No. WAPD 127 Part I, Westinghouse Electric Corp.; Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory (WAPD), Pittsburgh, PA, 1951.Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    M.B. Waldron, R.C. Burnett, and S.F. Pugh: AERE-M/B-2554, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Harwell, UK, 1958.Google Scholar
  15. 15.
    Nouveau Traite de chimie minerale–Tome XV, quatrieme fascicule, P. Pascal, ed., Paris, 1960, p. 377.Google Scholar
  16. 16.
    W.A. Bostrom and E.K. Halteman: Advanced Nuclear Engineering, Vol. II, J.R. Dunning and B.R. Prentice, eds., Pergamon Press, New York, NY, 1957, pp. 184–93.Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    P.C.L. Pfeil and J.D. Browne: AERE M/R 1333, Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE), Harwell, UK, 1954.Google Scholar
  18. 18.
    R.L. Craik, D. Birch, C. Fizzotti, and F. Saraceno: J. Nucl. Mater., 1962, vol. 6 (1), pp. 13–25.ADSCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. 19.
    K.G. Hoge: J. Basic Eng., 1966, pp. 509–17.Google Scholar
  20. 20.
    M.A. Meyers and K.K. Chawla: Mechanical Metallurgy Principles and Applications, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1984.Google Scholar
  21. 21.
    C.A.W. Peterson and R.R. Vandervoort: Report No. UCRL-7771, University of California Radiation Laboratory (UCRL), Berkeley, CA, 1964.Google Scholar
  22. 22.
    M.J. Alinger, G.R. Odette, and G.E. Lucas: J. Nucl. Mater., 2002, vols. 307–311, pp. 484–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. 23.
    ASM Handbook, 10th ed., vol. 12, Fractography, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Materials Park, OH, 1990.Google Scholar
  24. 24.
    F. Terasaki: Metaux Corros. Ind., 1967, vol. 42, pp. 1–30.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society and ASM International 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Douglas E. Burkes
    • 1
  • Ramprashad Prabhakaran
    • 2
  • Jan-Fong Jue
    • 1
  • Francine J. Rice
    • 1
  1. 1.Idaho National LaboratoryIdaho FallsUSA
  2. 2.Materials Science and Engineering DepartmentUniversity of IdahoMoscowUSA

Personalised recommendations