Abstract
The relaxation of sinusoidal profiles to flatness on the (110) surfaces of nearly stoichiometric uranium monocarbide single crystals has been determined between 1800 and 2160° C in a helium atmosphere. From the wavelength dependence of the relaxation constants, it was established that the mass-transfer rate due to capillary forces is primarily controlled by volume diffusion in the lattice. The diffusion coefficient D m associated with the relaxation process is given by the Arrhenius relation D m = D o exp (−Q/RT), with D o=(3.6±2.0)×10−3 cm2/sec and the activation energy Q=72.2 ±2.9 kcal/mole. These values are compared with the published tracer and mass-transfer diffusion data on uranium monocarbide. Faceting of profiles occurred after annealing in helium on the (100) and (111) surfaces indicating the presence of cusps in the surface-energy plot at these orientations.
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Maiya, P.S., Routbort, J.L. Kinetics of surface smoothing in uranium monocarbide single crystals. J Mater Sci 7, 609–614 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00549371
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00549371