High-Resolution Characterization of UMo Alloy Microstructure [report]

Arun Devaraj, Libor Kovarik, Vineet V. Joshi, Saumyadeep Jana, Sandeep Manandhar, Bruce W. Arey, Curt A. Lavender
2016 unpublished
Executive Summary Uranium-molybdenum (UMo) fuel processing steps, from casting to forming final fuel, directly affect the microstructure of the fuel, which in turn dictates the in-reactor performance of the fuel under irradiation. In order to understand the influence of processing on UMo microstructure, microstructure characterization techniques are necessary. When microstructural features approach submicron size scales, they become harder to detect and quantitatively analyze by conventional
more » ... racterization techniques like optical microscopy or scanning electron microscopy or X-ray diffraction. In such instances, higher resolution characterization techniques like transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atom probe tomography (APT) are needed to interrogate the details of the microstructure. The findings from TEM and APT are also directly beneficial for developing predictive multiscale modeling tools that can predict the microstructure as a function of process parameters. This report provides background on focused-ion-beam-based TEM and APT sample preparation, TEM and APT analysis procedures, and the unique information achievable through such advanced characterization capabilities for UMo fuels, from a fuel fabrication capability viewpoint.
doi:10.2172/1339907 fatcat:lqv3b7mjlfhspcih4n3ucpweym