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Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of TRISO Particles Using Nanoindentation and Ring Compression Testing

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Abstract

Tristructural-isotropic (TRISO) fuel particles are being investigated as a potential fuel for both current and advanced reactors. Due to the size of the particles (<1 mm in diameter with a silicon carbide layer thickness of 30–50 μm), traditional mechanical testing is a challenge, and investigations are limited to micro-scale mechanical testing techniques. In the work presented here, ring crush tests of TRISO particles were performed, and the results are compared with nanoindentation measurements of particles from the same manufactured batch. The elastic modulus results from the nanoindentation and the ring crush tests are found to be in good agreement. In addition, an innovative technique for studying helium implantation effects on the material was investigated utilizing an ORION NanoFab Helium Ion Microscope.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Frances Allen for assistance with the ORION NanoFab and for helpful comments on the manuscript. In addition, the authors would like to thank the BNC at UC Berkeley for the use of the ORION NanoFab instrument. The ORION nanofab was funded through the NSF-MRI grant #1338139.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA

    D. Frazer, J. Szornel, D. L. Krumwiede & P. Hosemann

  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA

    K. A. Terrani

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  1. D. Frazer
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  2. J. Szornel
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  3. D. L. Krumwiede
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  4. K. A. Terrani
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  5. P. Hosemann
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Correspondence to D. Frazer.

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Frazer, D., Szornel, J., Krumwiede, D.L. et al. Evaluation of the Mechanical Properties of TRISO Particles Using Nanoindentation and Ring Compression Testing. Exp Mech 57, 1081–1090 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-017-0277-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-017-0277-z

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