Restructuring in high burn-up UO2 fuels: Experimental characterization by electron backscattered diffraction

This paper discusses the use of electron backscattered diffraction to characterize restructuring in a set of UO2 samples, irradiated in a pressurized water reactor at a burn-up between 35 and 73 GWd/tU, including standard UO2 samples and Cr-doped UO2 samples, to provide a better understanding of res...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of applied physics 2022-11, Vol.132 (19)
Main Authors: Zacharie-Aubrun, Isabelle, Dowek, Rebecca, Noirot, Jean, Blay, Thierry, Cabié, Martiane, Dumont, Myriam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chromium
Condensed Matter
Electron backscatter diffraction
Grains
Irradiation
Materials Science
Nuclear fuel burnup
Physics
Pressurized water reactors
Uranium dioxide
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Summary:This paper discusses the use of electron backscattered diffraction to characterize restructuring in a set of UO2 samples, irradiated in a pressurized water reactor at a burn-up between 35 and 73 GWd/tU, including standard UO2 samples and Cr-doped UO2 samples, to provide a better understanding of restructuring occurring both on the periphery and in the center of high-burn-up pellets. The formation of a high burn-up structure on the periphery of high burn-up UO2 was confirmed in our experiment. We found restructuring associated with bubble formation of all the samples in the central area, with higher irradiation temperatures when the burn-up exceeded 61 GWd/tU, regardless of their initial microstructure. This restructuring tended to progress with the increasing burn-up and to sub-divide the initial grains into sub-grains, with orientations close to that of the parent grains. Radial changes and differences between these samples showed that the burn-up and the temperature were not the only relevant parameters involved in restructuring.
ISSN:0021-8979
1089-7550
DOI:10.1063/5.0104865