Abstract
Effect of self-irradiation on the parameters of the α → β transformation of unalloyed plutonium have been studied with the aid of measurements of the electrical resistance. It was established that the self-irradiation leads to the stabilization of the α phase of plutonium. The observed effect of stabilization is insignificant and is determined, apparently, mainly by the kinetics of growth of the embryos of critical dimension in the initial stage of transformation. The phase recrystallization with heating of the sample to ∼170°C completely removes the effect of stabilization. Supposedly, the kinetics of growth of critical embryos is mainly affected by the atoms of radiogenic helium, which are located in the interstices of the crystal lattice of plutonium.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Plutonium Handbook: A Guide to the Technology vol. I and II, Ed. by O. J. Wick (Gordon and Breach, New York, 1967; Atomizdat, Moscow, 1973; American Nuclear Society, La Grange Park, Illinois, 1980).
S. I. Abramenko, Yu. N. Zuev, V. N. Kordukov, et al., “Effect of Internal Stresses Induced by Decay Products on β-Phase Nucleation at α → β Transformation of Plain Plutonium at Isothermal Conditions,” Materialovedenie, No. 6(99), 2–5 (2005).
Physical Metallurgy, Ed. by R. W. Cahn (North-Holland, Amsterdam, 1965; Mir, Moscow, 1968).
J. W. Christian, The Theory of Transformations of Metals and Alloys, Part 1 (Pergamon, Oxford, 1975; Mir, Moscow, 1978).
M. J. Fluss, S. K. McCall, B. Chung, et al., “Magnetic Properties of Radiation Damages in Plutonium,” Materialovedenie, No. 8 (101), 35–39 (2005).
V. S. Kurilo, V. M. Filin, L. F. Timofeeva, M. Yu. Polyakov, et al., “Investigation into the Kinetics of Radiogenic Helium Release from δ-Phase Pu-Ga Alloy,” Vopr. At. Nauki Tekh. No. 3(37), 33–36 (1990).
L. F. Timofeeva, V. K. Orlov, and V. M. Filin, “Aging and Annealing of α-Plutonium Deformed by Shock Wave,” in Abstracts V Int. Sem. “Fundamental Problems of Plutonium” (Snezhinsk, 2005), pp. 56–57.
A. G. Zaluzhnyi, Yu. N. Sokurskii, and V. N. Tebus, Helium in Reactor Materials (Energoatomizdat, Moscow, 1988) [in Russian].
M. Rozen, L. T. Lloid, and R. G. Peterson, “The β → α Phase Transformation in High Purity Plutonium,” in Plutonium 1965, Proc. Third Int. Conf. on Plutonium (London, November 22–26, 1965; Àtomizdat, Moscow,1969). p. 11–17.
B. Spriet, “Study of Allotropic Transformations in Plutonium,” in Plutonium 1965, Ed. by A. E. Kay and M. B. Waldron (Chapman and Hall, London, 1967, pp. 88–117; Atomizdat, Moscow, 1969, issue 1, pp. 36–43).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Original Russian Text © A.V. Troshev, A.M. Lyasota, 2010, published in Fizika Metallov i Metallovedenie, 2010, Vol. 109, No. 6, pp. 660–664.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Troshev, A.V., Lyasota, A.M. Effect of self-irradiation on the parameters of the α → β transformation of unalloyed plutonium. Phys. Metals Metallogr. 109, 621–625 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031918X10060086
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031918X10060086