Bubble morphology in U3Si2 implanted by high-energy Xe ions at 300 °C

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials 2017-11, Vol.495 (C), p.146-153
• Main Authors: Miao, Yinbin, Harp, Jason, Mo, Kun, Zhu, Shaofei, Yao, Tiankai, Lian, Jie, Yacout, Abdellatif M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bubbles; Dislocations; Energy; Fission gas behavior; Grain boundaries; Ion irradiation; Light water reactor (LWR); Light water reactors; Linear accelerators; Microstructure; Microstructure characterization; NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS; Nuclear fuels; Silicide fuels; Sinkholes; Strain; Transmission electron microscopy; Uranium silicide
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.07.066

The microstructure modifications of a high-energy Xe implanted U3Si2, a promising accident tolerant fuel candidate, were characterized and are reported upon. The U3Si2 pellet was irradiated at Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System (ATLAS) by an 84 MeV Xe ion beam at 300 °C. The irradiated specimen was then investigated using a series of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. A dense distribution of bubbles were observed near the range of the 84 MeV Xe ions. Xe gas was also found to accumulate at multiple types of sinks, such as dislocations and grain boundaries. Bubbles aggregated at those sinks are slightly larger than intragranular bubbles in lattice. At 300 °C, the gaseous swelling strain is limited as all the bubbles are below 10 nm, implying the promising fission gas behavior of U3Si2 under normal operating conditions in light water reactors (LWRs).