Analysis of Chemical and Phase Composition in Powder of U-Zr-Nb Post Hydriding-Dehydriding Process

Masrukan M, M.H Alhasa, Saga Octa D

Abstract


To be used as a nuclear fuel, a fuel alloy must meet several requirements such as chemical, mechanical, physical, and neutronic compositions. The U-Zr-Nb powder is made from U-Zr-Nb ingots through a hydriding-dehydriding process and has a U composition that adjusts the weight of Zr, the composition of Zr remains at 6% while Nb varies by 2, 5, and 8 wt% (U- 6Zr-2Nb, U-6Zr-5Nb and U-6Zr-8Nb). The powder obtained is then subjected to elemental and phase composition testing. Chemical composition and impurity contain testing uses Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Ultraviolet (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, while phase analysis uses X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD). The purpose of the analysis of chemical composition and phase is to determine the constituent and impurity elements as well as the phases formed in the U-Zr-Nb alloy. The results of the analysis of U content in the U-6Zr-2Nb, U-6Zr-5Nb, U-6Zr-8Nb alloy powder samples were 89.307, 85.568, and 83.553 wt.%, while the Zr content analysis obtained successive results amounted to 6.220, 5.829, and 6.192. Meanwhile, in the analysis of Nb in U-6Zr-2Nb alloy powder, U-6Zr-5Nb, U-6Zr-8Nb obtained successive results amounted to 2.023, 5.04, and 8.155 wt%. The phase analysis results were obtained for each sample U-6Zr-2Nb, U-6Zr-5Nb, U-6Zr-8Nb contained U, and UO2 compounds, where the U phase was the dominant phase. The highest γU phase content is found in U-6Zr-5Nb, which is 92.108 %, and after the Nb content exceeds 5 %, the greater addition of Nb does not increase the number of ï§U phases formed.

Keywords


Composition analysis; elements; phase; U-Zr-Nb powder.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Supardjo, H. Suwarno, and A. Kadaryono, “Characterization of U-7% Mo and U-7% Mo-x% Si alloys (x = 1, 2, and 3%) results from the melting process in the electric arc furnace,†J. Urania, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 171–232, 2009.

Masrukan, D. Mustika, D. A. Perdana, and Jumaeri, “Analysis of elemental composition, density, macrostructure, and phase formation of U-6Zr-xNb alloy post corrosition test,†J. Urania, vol. 26, no. 3, p. 155, 2020.

S. Kaity, J. Banerjee, S.C Parida, and V.Bahsin, “Structural, microstructural, and thermal analysis of U-(6-x)Zr-xNb alloys (x- 2,4,6),†J. Nucl. Mater., vol. 504, pp. 234–250, 2018.

Masrukan and J. Setiawan, “Ingot characteristic of U-Zr-Nb alloys post quenching process,†J. Urania, vol. 23, no. 2, pp. 87–96, 2017.

Nathanael Wagner Sales Morai, Denise Adorno Lopes, and Cláudio Geraldo Sc, “Effect of thermo mechanical processing on microstructure and mechanical properties of U – Nb – Zr alloys,†J. Mater., vol. 502, pp. 51–59, 2018.

R. Mariani et al., “Initial evaluation of fuel-reactor concepts for advanced LEU fuel development,†in INL/EXT-20-54641, 2020.

Suryanarayana, “Mechanical Alloying: A Novel Technique to Synthesize Advanced Materials,†Res. (Wash D C), vol. 2019, 2019.

M. Masrukan, M. H. Alhasa, and E. Yusnitha, “Fabrication of Fuel Element Core (FEC) of U-6Zr-5Nb/Al to be Fuel Element Plate (FEP) with variation of uranium density,†J. Mater. Res. Tecnol., vol. 10, no. February, pp. 216–224, 2021.

B. Beeler, Y. Zhang, and M. Okuniewski, “Calculation of the displacement energy of α and γ uranium,†J. Nucl. Mater., vol. 508, 2018.

A. da S. Ferreira, F. R. Longe, R. A. M. Gotardo, Flávio Francisco Ivashita, Reginaldo Barco, and Andrea Paesano Júnior, “Synthesis and Structural Charac terization of U-Zr-Nb Alloys,†J. Mater. Res., vol. 21, no. 1, 2017.

N. W. S. Morais, A. Lopes, and C. G. Schon, “Effect of thermo-mechanical processing on microstructure and mechanical properties of U – Zr alloys: Part 1 - U–6 wt. % Nb –6 wt. % Zr,†J. Nucl. Mater., vol. 488, pp. 173–180, 2017.

B.M. Aguiar, “Refining U-Zr-Nb Alloys By Remelting,†in International Nuclear Atlantic Conference (INAC) Belo Horizonte, 2011.

M. Masrukan, Yanlianastuti, M.H.Al Hasa, and Arief Sasongko Adhi, “Analysis of composition, density, thermal properties of U-Zr-Nb alloy powder for nuclear fuel,†J. Phys., vol. 1198, no. 3, 2019.

W. Chen and X.-M. Bai, “Temperature and composition dependent thermal conductivity model for U-Zr alloys,†J. Nucl. Mater., vol. 507, pp. 360–370, 2018.

S. Kaity, J. Banerjee, S. C. Parida, and V. Bhasin, “Structural, microstructural and thermal analysis of U−(6-x)Zr−xNb alloys (x = 0, 2, 4, 6),†J. Nucl. Mater., vol. 504, pp. 234–250, 2018.

Y. Park, R.Newell, A.Mehta, D.D.Keiser Jr, and Y.H.Sohn, “Interdiffusion and reaction between U and Zr,†Jouranl Nucl. Mater., vol. 504, pp. 42–50, 2018.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18517/ijaseit.12.1.11241

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Published by INSIGHT - Indonesian Society for Knowledge and Human Development