Intermetallic phases in the iron-rich region of the Zr-Fe phase diagram

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granovsky, M.S.; Arias, D.

1996-01-01

Intermetallic phases in the Fe-rich region of the Zr-Fe system are studied by X-ray diffraction and optical and electron microscopy. The chemical composition of each phase has been quantitatively measured in a electron microprobe. The stable phases found in this region are ZrFe 2 , Zr 6 Fe 23 and (αFe). ZrFe 2 is identified as a cubic Laves type phase (C15) and the ZrFe 2 /ZrFe 2 +Zr 6 Fe 23 boundary composition is 73±1 at.% Fe. Zr 6 Fe 23 is a cubic phase of the Th 6 Mn 23 type and its composition is 80.0±1.5 at.% Fe. The eutectic L↔Zr 6 Fe 23 +τ-Fe transformation temperature and composition are 1325 C and 91±1 at.% Fe, respectively. The solubility of Zr in τ-Fe at 1012 C is 500±50 appm and 1000±100 appm close to the eutectic temperature. (orig.)

X-Ray diffraction on rare earth-3d Laves phase compound ErCo2 in magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yagasaki, Katsuma; Notsu, Shiko; Takaesu, Yoshinao; Nakama, Takao; Sakai, Eijiro; Koyama, Keiichi; Watanabe, Kazuo; Burkov, Alexander T.

2006-01-01

X-Ray powder diffraction method is used to investigate the effect of magnetic ordering and external magnetic field on crystal structure of Laves phase intermetallic compound ErCo 2 . The diffraction patterns were recorded at temperatures from 300K down to 8.5K in magnetic field up to 5T. Distortion of the room-temperature cubic structure was found in magnetically ordered state below 32K. The symmetry at low temperature is rhombohedral in agreement with literature results, or lower symmetry than it. However the symmetry of the unit cell increases to cubic in external magnetic field of 5T

Lave phase precipitation in Nb- and Ti-based alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tewari, R.; Vishwanadh, B.; Dey, G.K.

2010-01-01

In multicomponent Nb-based alloys system, which are potential candidate materials for high temperature applications, the presence of Laves phase was noticed along with the silicides in equilibrium with the soft β-matrix. In Ti-Cr alloys, which show a tendency for inverse melting, the formation of the phase was noticed in the β matrix upon aging. The Laves phase being topologically closed pack structure appears to have strong tendency for the formation provided the criterion of atomic size factor is met

Intermetallic phases in the iron-rich region of the Zr-Fe phase diagram

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Granovsky, M.S. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Dept. de Materiales; Arias, D. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Dept. de Materiales

1996-04-01

Intermetallic phases in the Fe-rich region of the Zr-Fe system are studied by X-ray diffraction and optical and electron microscopy. The chemical composition of each phase has been quantitatively measured in a electron microprobe. The stable phases found in this region are ZrFe{sub 2}, Zr{sub 6}Fe{sub 23} and ({alpha}Fe). ZrFe{sub 2} is identified as a cubic Laves type phase (C15) and the ZrFe{sub 2}/ZrFe{sub 2}+Zr{sub 6}Fe{sub 23} boundary composition is 73{+-}1 at.% Fe. Zr{sub 6}Fe{sub 23} is a cubic phase of the Th{sub 6}Mn{sub 23} type and its composition is 80.0{+-}1.5 at.% Fe. The eutectic L{r_reversible}Zr{sub 6}Fe{sub 23}+{tau}-Fe transformation temperature and composition are 1325 C and 91{+-}1 at.% Fe, respectively. The solubility of Zr in {tau}-Fe at 1012 C is 500{+-}50 appm and 1000{+-}100 appm close to the eutectic temperature. (orig.).

Role of copper on Laves phase morphology in 9-12%Cr steels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danielsen, Hilmar Kjartansson; Liu, Fang

2017-01-01

In this work the Laves phase was found to appear in two different morphologies, namely granular shapes and in an elongated shape. No difference in crystallography could be detected between these morphologies. The Laves phase was only observed in its elongated form in Cu-containing steels, where i...

Structural, Electronic and Elastic Properties of Heavy Fermion YbTM2 (TM= Ir and Pt) Laves Phase Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, H.; Shugani, M.; Aynyas, M.; Sanyal, S. P.

2018-02-01

The structural, electronic and elastic properties of YbTM2 (TM = Ir and Pt) Laves phase intermetallic compounds which crystallize in cubic (MgCu2-type) structure, have been investigated using ab-initio full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method with LDA and LDA+U approximation. The calculated ground state properties such as lattice parameter (a0), bulk modulus (B) and its pressure derivative (B‧) are in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. The electronic properties are analyzed from band structures and density of states. Elastic constants are predicted first time for these compounds which obey the stability criteria for cubic system.

Thermodynamics and kinetics of the formation of rare earth intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deodhar, S.S.

1975-01-01

Heats of reaction of rare earth intermetallics with iron, cobalt and nickel were determined using Differential Thermal Analysis technique. The intermetallic compounds studied were of MgCu 2 type Laves phases and the rare earth elements studied were praseodymium, gadolinium, dyprosium and erbium. The reactions were exothermic and the heats of reaction were generally high. They varied from the low of -2.5 kcal/g mole for Fe 2 Gd to the high of -35.3 kcal/g mole for Ni 2 Er. The magnitudes of heats of reaction were always greater for the intermetallics of heavy rare earth elements. The rare earth intermetallics studied were either ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic. The variations in the magnetic moments and the heats of reaction with respect to the atomic number of the rare earth elements followed certain trends. The similarities were observed in the trends of two properties. Electronic configuration for the MgCu 2 type rare earth intermetallics is proposed using Engel--Brewer correlation for metallic structures and the structural features of the Laves phase compounds. Kinetics of the reactions between the rare earth elements and iron, cobalt, and nickel was studied. The rate of reaction was diffusion controlled in each case. The Valensi--Carter equation for the diffusion mechanism satisfactorily described the kinetic behavior. The magnitudes of activation energies and frequency factors were determined. The reactions can be characterized by their reaction temperatures since they always begin at definite temperatures. It was observed that the reaction began at a higher temperature if the activation energy for the reaction was high

Electron crystallography applied to the structure determination of Nb(Cu,Al,X) Laves phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gigla, M; Lelatko, J; Krzelowski, M; Morawiec, H

2006-09-01

The presence of primary precipitates of the Laves phases considerably improves the mechanical properties and the resistance to thermal degradation of the high-temperature shape memory Cu-Al-Nb alloys. The structure analysis of the Laves phases was carried out on particles contained in the ternary and quaternary alloys as well on synthesized compounds related to the composition of the Nb(Cu,Al,X)(2) phase, where X = Ni, Co, Cr, Ti and Zr. The precise structure determination of the Laves phases was carried out by the electron crystallography method using the CRISP software.

Investigations on the growth kinetics of Laves phase precipitates in 12% Cr creep-resistant steels: Experimental and DICTRA calculations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prat, O. [Max Planck Institute fuer Eisenforschung GmbH, Max Planck Strasse 1, 40237 Duesseldorf (Germany)] [Universidad de Concepcion, Departamento de Ingenieria de Materiales, Edmundo Larenas 270, Concepcion (Chile); Garcia, J., E-mail: jose.garcia@helmholtz-berlin.de [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Rojas, D. [Max Planck Institute fuer Eisenforschung GmbH, Max Planck Strasse 1, 40237 Duesseldorf (Germany); Carrasco, C. [Universidad de Concepcion, Departamento de Ingenieria de Materiales, Edmundo Larenas 270, Concepcion (Chile); Inden, G. [Max Planck Institute fuer Eisenforschung GmbH, Max Planck Strasse 1, 40237 Duesseldorf (Germany)

2010-10-15

The growth kinetics of Laves phase precipitates (type Fe{sub 2}W) in the early stage of creep (650 deg. C for 10,000 h) in two 12% Cr ferrite-martensitic steels has been investigated. In one alloy the Laves phase formed on tempering, while in the second alloy the Laves phase precipitated during creep. Kinetic simulations were performed using the software DICTRA. The particle size of the Laves phase was measured on transmission electron microscopy samples. The equilibrium phase fraction of the Laves phase was reached in the first thousand hours. Simulations of particle growth showed good agreement with the experimental results. Competitive growth between M{sub 23}C{sub 6} and the Laves phase showed that M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbides reached their equilibrium after 12 days, whereas the Laves phase reached equilibrium after 3 months. Simulations of the influence of the interfacial energy and addition of Co, Cu and Si on Laves phase precipitation are presented.

Investigations on the growth kinetics of Laves phase precipitates in 12% Cr creep-resistant steels: Experimental and DICTRA calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prat, O.; Garcia, J.; Rojas, D.; Carrasco, C.; Inden, G.

2010-01-01

The growth kinetics of Laves phase precipitates (type Fe 2 W) in the early stage of creep (650 deg. C for 10,000 h) in two 12% Cr ferrite-martensitic steels has been investigated. In one alloy the Laves phase formed on tempering, while in the second alloy the Laves phase precipitated during creep. Kinetic simulations were performed using the software DICTRA. The particle size of the Laves phase was measured on transmission electron microscopy samples. The equilibrium phase fraction of the Laves phase was reached in the first thousand hours. Simulations of particle growth showed good agreement with the experimental results. Competitive growth between M 23 C 6 and the Laves phase showed that M 23 C 6 carbides reached their equilibrium after 12 days, whereas the Laves phase reached equilibrium after 3 months. Simulations of the influence of the interfacial energy and addition of Co, Cu and Si on Laves phase precipitation are presented.

Precipitation behavior of Laves phase and its effect on toughness of 9Cr-2Mo ferritic-martensitic steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosoi, Y.; Wade, N.; Kunimitsu, S.; Urita, T.

1986-01-01

This study clarified the relationship between the toughness of a 9Cr-2Mo dual phase steel and precipitates formed during aging, with special attention to the Laves phase (Fe 2 Mo). The ductile-brittle transition temperature (DBTT) is increased and the upper shelf energy decreased when the Laves phase begins to precipitate during aging. Electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction indicate that elimination of Si in the steel reduces the precipitation of the Laves phase and results in maintaining good toughness. It is also noted that the toughness of the steel is controlled by the total amount of precipitates (Laves + carbides) in the aging at 873 K for more than 3.6x10 3 ks. A time-temperature-precipitation diagram for the Laves phase is established and it clearly shows that the precipitation of the Laves phase is markedly retarded by the decrease of Si content. In Si-free steel, no Laves phase is observed in the temperature and time range investigated. (orig.)

Site occupancies in ternary C15 ordered Laves phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotula, P.G.; Chu, F.; Thoma, D.J.; Mitchell, T.E.; Anderson, I.M.; Bentley, J.

1996-01-01

Site occupancies in three C15-structured AB 2 (X) Laves phases have been determined by Atom Location by CHanneling Enhanced MIcroanalysis (ALCHEMI). In NbCr 2 (V), the results were consistent with exclusive site occupancies of Nb for the A sublattice and Cr and V for the B sublattice. The B-site occupancy of V is not expected from atom size effects alone. In NbCr 2 (Ti), the results were consistent with Ti partitioning mostly to the A sites with some anti-site defects likely. In HfV 2 (Nb), the results were consistent with Nb partitioning between the A and B sites. The results of the ALCHEMI analyses of these ternary C15 Laves phase materials will be discussed with respect to previously determined phase diagrams and first-principles total energy and electronic structure calculations

Laves-phase evolution during aging in 9Cr-1.8W-0.5Mo-VNb steel for USC power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xue, E-mail: wangxue2011@whu.edu.cn [School of Power and Mechanics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Xu, Qiang [School of Computing and Engineering, The University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, England (United Kingdom); Yu, Shu-min; Hu, Lei [School of Power and Mechanics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Liu, Hong [DongFang Boiler Group Co.,Ltd., Zigong 643001 (China); Ren, Yao-yao [School of Power and Mechanics, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

2015-08-01

Long term precipitation and coarsening of Laves-phase in tungsten strengthened 9% Cr steel under thermal aging at 923 K was investigated and reported in this paper. It experimentally measured the evolution of mean particle size, the number density, the volume fraction of Laves-phase precipitates, the partition coefficients of W and Mo in the matrix, as well as the change of hardness. Its main conclusions were: 1) Laves-phase nucleates and grows rapidly on grain boundaries and lath boundaries within the first 1500 h of aging time; 2) The two stages characteristics and kinetics of Laves-phase nucleation and growth which were determined experimentally; 3) The coarsening of Laves-phase is much faster than that of M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbides; 4) The precipitation of Laves-phase produces a pronounced matrix depletion of W and Mo atoms; and 5) The precipitated Laves-phase gives rise to weaker precipitation strengthening in comparison with M{sub 23}C{sub 6} carbides, and causes the loss of hardness due to the depletion of Mo and W from the solid solution. This paper contributes to the knowledge of kinetics of Laves-phase precipitation and coarsening, providing the essential information for comparative investigation of creep damage mechanisms. This paper also contributes to the understanding the creep damage broadly. - Highlights: • The characteristics of precipitation and coarsening of Laves-phase were determined. • The matrix depletion of W and Mo due to Laves-phase precipitation was quantified. • The effect of precipitated Laves-phase on the hardness was evaluated.

Influence of initial thermomechanical treatment on high temperature properties of laves phase strengthened ferritic steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talik, Michal

2016-01-01

The aim of this work was to design 17 wt%Cr Laves phase strengthened HiperFer (High performance Ferrite) steels and evaluate their properties. This class of steel is supposed to be used in Advanced Ultra Super Critical power plants. Such cycles exhibit higher efficiency and are environmentally friendly, but improved materials with high resistance to reside/steam oxidation and sufficient creep strength are required. The work focused on the characterization of creep properties of 17Cr2.5W0.5Nb0.25Si heat resistant steel. Small batches of steels with nominal compositions of 17Cr3W0.5Nb0.25Si and 17Cr3W0.9Nb0.25Si were used to analyze the influence of chemical composition on the precipitation behaviour in comparison to 17Cr2.5W0.5Nb0.25Si steel. Creep strength of HiperFer steels is ensured by ne dispersion of thermodynamically stable Laves phase particles, while maintaining high corrosion resistance by a relatively high chromium content. Design of HiperFer steels was accomplished by thermodynamic modeling (Thermocalc) with the main tasks of elimination of the unwelcome brittle (Fe,Cr)-σ phase and maximization of the content of the strengthening C14 Fe_2Nb type Laves phase particles. Long term annealing experiments of all HiperFer steels were performed at 650 C in order to evaluate the role of chemical composition and initial thermo-mechanical treatment state on precipitation behaviour. Laves phase particles formed quickly after few hours and the size of precipitates did not change significantly within 1,000 hours. The observed development of Laves phase particles was compared with thermodynamical calculations (TC-Prisma). The creep properties of 17Cr2.5W0.5Nb0.25Si steel in different initial thermo-mechanical treatment states were tested at 650 C. The influence of different cold rolling procedures, and heat treatments was investigated. Increased cold rolling deformation had a positive effect resulting not only from work hardening, but from the acceleration of Laves

Measuring laves phase particle size and thermodynamic calculating its growth and coarsening behavior in P92 steels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yao, Bing-Yin; Zhou, Rong-Can; Fan, Chang-Xin

2010-01-01

The growth of Laves phase particles in three kinds of P92 steels were investigated. Laves phase particles can be easily separated and distinguished from the matrix and other particles by atom number contrast using comparisons of the backscatter electrons (BSE) images and the secondary electrons (SE......) images in scanning electron microscope (SEM). The smaller Laves phase particle size results in higher creep strength and longer creep exposure time at the same conditions. DICTRA software was used to model the growth and coarsening behavior of Laves phase in the three P92 steels. Good agreements were...... attained between measurements in SEM and modeling by DICTRA. Ostwald ripening should be used for the coarsening calculation of Laves phase in P92 steels for time longer than 20000 h and 50000 h at 650°C and 600°C, respectively. © 2010 Chin. Soc. for Elec. Eng....

Magnetic and electronic properties of some actinide intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaar, Ilan

1992-06-01

The electronic structure and magnetic properties of the light actinide intermetallic compounds are often related to interplay between localized and itinerant (band like) behavior of the 5f- electrons. In the present work, the properties of some actinide, mainly Np, intermetallic compounds were studied by Mossbauer effect, ac and dc susceptibility, X-ray and Neutron diffraction techniques. 1. NpX 2 (X=Ga,Si) - Both compounds order ferromagnetically at TC=55(2) and 48(2) K respectively. A comparison of our data with the results for other NpX 2 (X=Al,As,Sb,Tl) compounds indicates that NpGa 2 is a highly localized 5f electron system, whereas in NpSi 2 the 5f electrons are partially delocalized. The magnetic properties of NpX 2 compounds can neither be consistently explained within the conventional crystal electric field picture (CEF) nor by takink into account hybridization dressing of local spin density models. 2. NpX 3 (X=Ga,Si,In,Al) in the cubic AuCu 3 (Pm3m) crystallographic structure - From the Mossbauer isomer shift (IS) data we argue that the Np ion in the NpX 3 family is close to the formal 3+ (5I 4 ) charge state. The magnetic moment of the Np in NpSi 3 is totally suppressed whereas in NpGa 3 and NpAl 3 a localized (narrow band) moment is established. However, in NpIn 3 at 4.2 K, a modulated magnetic moment (0-1.5μB) is observed. Comparing the magnetic behavior of the NpX 3 family (X=Si,Ge,Ga, Al,In and Sn), we find an impressive variation of the magnetic properties, from temperature independent paramagnetism (TIP), localized and modulated ordered moments, to the formation of a concentrated Kondo lattice. Hybridization of 5f electrons with ligand electrons appears to play a crucial role in establishing these magnetic properties. However, at present a consistent theoretical picture can not be drawn. 3. XFe 4 Al 8 (X=Ho,Np,U) spin galss (SG) systems in the ThMn 12 (I 4 /mmm) crystallographic structure - Localized and itinerant behaviour of the f electrons

Stability of Laves Phases in the Cr Zr System

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pavlů, Jana; Vřešťál, Jan; Šob, Mojmír

2009-01-01

Roč. 33, č. 2 (2009), s. 382-387 ISSN 0364-5916 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/07/1078 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : ab initio calculations * Laves phases * phase diagrams Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.904, year: 2009

Computational thermodynamic investigations of growth and coarsening of laves phase precipitates in 12%Cr creep resistant steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prat, O.; Rojas, D. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Eisenforschung GmbH, Duesseldorf (Germany); Garcia, J.; Kaysser-Pyzalla, A.R. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin (Germany); Bochum Univ. (Germany)

2010-07-01

Precipitation phenomena in 12%Cr high alloyed steels have been investigated at creep conditions of 650 and 150 MPa up to 6.500 hours in two different alloys. Growth and coarsening of Laves phase was determined experimentally by measuring the size of Laves phase on crept samples using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). The simulations were performed using the software DICTRA based on the assumption the local equilibrium at the moving phase interface. For equilibrium calculations, the Thermo-Calc software was used. The experimental results were compared with DICTRA simulations, showing good agreement. Both the quantitative metallographic measurements as well as the simulations indicate very low coarsening for Laves Phase. The influence of different elements such as Co, Si and Cu on coarsening for Laves phase was simulated. (orig.)

Characterization of Laves phase in Crofer 22 H stainless steel.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiao, Zheng-Wen; Kuhn, Bernd; Chen, Delphic; Singheiser, Lorenz; Kuo, Jui-Chao; Lin, Dong-Yih

2015-07-01

This study investigated the effect of annealing temperature on the precipitation behavior of Crofer(®) 22 H at 600°C, 700°C, and 800°C. The grain size distribution, precipitate phase identification, and microstructure were analyzed using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The morphology of Laves phase (Fe,Cr,Si)(2)(Nb,W) precipitates having the Cr(2)Nb structure changed from strip-like to needle-shaped as the annealing temperature was increased. The precipitates of the Laves phase also shifted from the grain boundaries to the grain interiors when the temperature was increased. However, the average grain size (150 μm) of the ferritic matrix did not significantly change at 600°C, 700°C, and 800°C for 10 h. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth Kinetics of Laves Phase and Its Effect on Creep Rupture Behavior in 9Cr Heat Resistant Steel

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhi-xin XIA; Chuan-yang WANG; Chen LEI; Yun-ting LAI; Yan-fen ZHAO; Lu ZHANG

2016-01-01

The effects of Laves phase formation and growth on creep rupture behaviors of P92 steel at 883 K were studied.The microstructural evolution was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transmission elec-tron microscopy.Kinetic modeling was carried out using the software DICTRA.The results indicated Fe2 (W,Mo) Laves phase has formed during creep with 200 MPa applied stress at 883 K for 243 h.The experimental results showed a good agreement with thermodynamic calculations.The plastic deformation of laths is the main reason of creep rupture under the applied stress beyond 160 MPa,whereas,creep voids initiated by coarser Laves phase play an effective role in creep rupture under the applied stress lower than 160 MPa.Laves phase particles with the mean size of 243 nm lead to the change of creep rupture feature.Microstructures at the vicinity of fracture surface,the gage portion and the threaded ends of creep rupture specimens were also observed,indicating that creep tensile stress enhances the coarsening of Laves phase.

Intermetallic alloys - overview on new materials developments for structural applications in West Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauthoff, G.

1990-01-01

As a result of recent research on intermetallics for high-temperature applications several alloy systems which are based on intermetallics are regarded as promising for new materials developments, and respective developments have been initiated in West Germany. The present work is aimed a lightweight materials on one hand and at high-temperature high-strength materials on the other hand. The overview surveys the work in West Germany on γ-TiAl, Ti 5 Si 3 -based alloys, Mg 2 Si-Al, NiAl-Cr, Al 3 Nb-NiAl and Laves phase-based alloys, and the mechanical properties - strength, ductility and/or toughness - are described. (orig.) [de

Aging behavior and mechanical properties of maraging steels in the presence of submicrocrystalline Laves phase particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmoudi, A.; Ghavidel, M.R. Zamanzad; Nedjad, S. Hossein; Heidarzadeh, A.; Ahmadabadi, M. Nili

2011-01-01

Cold rolling and annealing of homogenized Fe-Ni-Mn-Mo-Ti-Cr maraging steels resulted in the formation of submicrocrystalline Fe 2 (Mo,Ti) Laves phase particles. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, tensile and hardness tests were used to study the microstructure, aging behavior and mechanical properties of the annealed steels. The annealed microstructures showed age hardenability during subsequent isothermal aging at 753 K. Ultrahigh fracture stress but poor tensile ductility was obtained after substantial age hardening in the specimens with 2% and 4% chromium. Increasing chromium addition up to 6% toughened the aged microstructure at the expense of the fracture stress by increasing the volume fraction of retained austenite. The Laves phase particles acted as crack nucleation sites during tensile deformation. - Highlights: → Laves phases dispersed in a BCC iron matrix by annealing of cold rolled samples. → The samples showed age hardenability during subsequent isothermal aging at 753 K. → Ultrahigh fracture stress but poor ductility was obtained after age hardening. → Increasing chromium addition toughened the aged microstructure. → Laves phase particles acting as crack nucleation sites during tensile deformation.

Phase transformations in intermetallic phases in zirconium alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Filippov, V. P., E-mail: vpfilippov@mephi.ru [National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) (Russian Federation); Kirichenko, V. G. [Kharkiv National Karazin University (Ukraine); Salomasov, V. A. [National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute) (Russian Federation); Khasanov, A. M. [University of North Carolina – Asheville, Chemistry Department (United States)

2017-11-15

Phase change was analyzed in intermetallic compounds of zirconium alloys (Zr – 1.03 at.% Fe; Zr – 0.51 at.% Fe; Zr – 0.51 at.% Fe – M(M = Nb, Sn). Mössbauer spectroscopy on {sup 57}Fe nuclei in backscattering geometry with the registration of the internal conversion electrons and XRD were used. Four types of iron bearing intermetallic compounds with Nb were detected. A relationship was found between the growth process of intermetallic inclusions and segregation of these phases. The growth kinetics of inclusions possibly is not controlled by bulk diffusion, and a lower value of the iron atom’s activation energy of migration can be attributed to the existence of enhanced diffusion paths and interface boundaries.

Ab initio study of C14 laves phases in Fe-based systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlu J.

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Structural properties and energetics of Fe-based C14 Laves phases at various compositions (i.e. Fe2Fe, Fe2X, X2Fe, X2X, where X stands for Si, Cr, Mo, W, Ta were investigated using the pseudopotential VASP (Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package code employing the PAW-PBE (Projector Augmented Wave - Perdew Burke-Ernzerhof pseudopotentials. Full relaxation was performed for all structures studied including the reference states of elemental constituents and the equilibrium structure parameters as well as bulk moduli were found. The structure parameters of experimentally found structures were very well reproduced by our calculations. It was also found that the lattice parameters and volumes of the unit cell decrease with increasing molar fraction of iron. Thermodynamic analysis shows that the Fe2X configurations of Laves phases are more stable than the X2Fe ones. Some of the X2Fe configurations are even unstable with respect to the weighted average of the Laves phases of elemental constituents. Our calculations predict the stability of Fe2Ta. On the other hand, Fe2Mo and Fe2W are slightly unstable (3.19 and 0.68 kJ.mol-1, respectively and hypothetical structures Fe2Cr and Fe2Si are found unstable as well.

Electrochemical properties of the passive film on bulk Zr–Fe–Cr intermetallic fabricated by spark plasma sintering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Yakui [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Ling, Yunhan, E-mail: yhling@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Lai, Wensheng [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Xing, Shupei; Ma, Wen [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Huhhot 010051 (China)

2016-12-01

Highlights: • SPS was employed to prepare Zr-based intermetallics which were commonly existed in zircaloy. • Zr-based intermetallics act as cathode when they embedded in zirconium matrix. • The passive films on surface of intermetallics behaved as n-type semiconductors. • Carrier concentration of Zr(Fe{sub 3}Cr){sub 2} was much lower than that of other intermetallics. - Abstract: Although Zr-based second phase particles (SPPs) are important factors influencing corrosion resistance of zircaloy cladding materials, the corrosion behavior of SPPs has not been investigated by means of electrochemical method so far. In order to clarify the role of SPPs commonly existed in zircaloy, bulk Zr-based intermetallics were firstly fabricated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at temperatures 1373 K and an applied pressure of 60 MPa in this work. Both the natural passive film on surface and oxidation behavior of intermetallic has been investigated in this work. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that as-prepared intermetallic of crystal structure belongs to Laves phase with AB{sub 2} type. Electrochemical measurement of passive film on surface of bulk Zr-based intermetallic exhibited significant difference with that of zirconium. Potentiodynamic measurements results revealed that intermetallic exhibited higher corrosion potential and lower corrosion current density than that of pure zirconium, implying that Zr-based second phase will act as cathode when they are included in zirconium matrix. Meanwhile, significant improvement of Zr–Fe–Cr intermetallic on the water chemistry corrosion resistance was demonstrated comparing with Zr–Fe and Zr–Cr binary intermetallics.

Synthesis, characterization and magnetic properties of selected Laves and MAX phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamm, Christin Maria

2017-01-01

In this work the rare-earth free Laves phases Ti 2 M 3 Si with M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni were synthesized by microwave heating and were structurally and magnetically characterized. Furthermore, the solid solution Ti 2 (Co 1-x Fe x ) 3 Si was synthesized by arc melting and spark plasma sintering, as well as their magnetic behavior was studied. In addition to the Laves phases, the focus was on the synthesis and characterization of aluminum-based MAX phases. For the first time the ternary carbides were prepared by microwave heating. The phase-pure representation of MAX phases was particularly challenging for synthetic solid-state chemistry. The susceptor-assisted microwave heating allows the synthesis of high-quality samples, which was shown in this work on M 2 AlC (M = Ti, V, Cr) and V 4 AlC 3 . Furthermore, for the first time, the doping of these materials with Mn and Fe was successful. In addition to the structural characterization of the new phases, the microstructure and magnetic properties are discussed in this work. Using these doped compounds as well as the compound V 4 AlC 3 , it has been shown that field-activated synthesis, particularly susceptor-assisted microwave heating, are a very good synthesis method for compounds which are hard or sometimes not synthesized by conventional methods.

Persistent local chemical bonds in intermetallic phase formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Yanwen [Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Bian, Xiufang, E-mail: xfbian@sdu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Qin, Xubo [Key Laboratory for Liquid–Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Zhang, Shuo; Huang, Yuying [Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facilities, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204 (China)

2014-05-01

We found a direct evidence for the existence of the local chemical Bi–In bonds in the BiIn{sub 2} melt. These bonds are strong and prevail, dominating the structure evolution of the intermetallic clusters. From the local structure of the melt-quenched BiIn{sub 2} ribbon, the chemical Bi–In bonds strengthen compared with those in the equilibrium solidified alloy. The chemical bonds in BiIn{sub 2} melt retain to solid during a rapid quenching process. The results suggest that the intermetallic clusters in the melt evolve into the as-quenched intermetallic phase, and the intermetallic phase originates from the chemical bonds between unlike atoms in the melt. The chemical bonds preserve the chemical ordered clusters and dominate the clusters evolution.

Intermetallic compound development for the 21st century

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munroe, P.R.

2000-01-01

lntermetallic compounds have been vigorously researched for the past twenty years. As a result of these studies the fundamental behaviour of a number of transition metal aluminides and suicides is now well understood, and a number of alloys with commercially acceptable properties have been developed. Future challenges for these alloys, for example Ni 3 AI, TiAI and Fe 3 AI, are focused on the development of large-scale production routes. However, there remain a number of other intermetallic compounds, such as Laves phases, which exhibit some promising properties, but little is presently known about their intrinsic behaviour. For compounds such as these more fundamental studies are required

Lattice disorder in strongly correlated lanthanide and actinide intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Booth, C.H.; Bauer, E.D.; Maple, M.B.; Lawrence, J.M.; Kwei, G.H.; Sarrao, J.L.

2001-01-01

Lanthanide and actinide intermetallic compounds display a wide range of correlated-electron behavior, including ferromagnetism, antiferromagnetism, nonmagnetic (Kondo) ground states, and so-called 'non-Fermi liquid' (NFL) behavior. The interaction between f electrons and the conduction band is a dominant factor in determining the ground state of a given system. However, lattice disorder can create a distribution of interactions, generating unusual physical properties. These properties may include NFL behavior in many materials. In addition, lattice disorder can cause deviations from standard Kondo behavior that is less severe than NFL behavior. A review of the lattice disorder mechanism within a tight-binding model is presented, along with measurements of the YbBCu 4 and UPd x Cu 5-x systems, demonstrating the applicability of the model. These measurements indicate that while the YbBCu 4 system appears to be well ordered, both site interchange and continuous bond-length disorder occur in the UPd x Cu 5-x series. Nevertheless, the measured bond-length disorder in UPdCu 4 does not appear to be enough to explain the NFL properties simply with the Kondo disorder model. (au)

Phase Transformation in Cast Superaustenitic Stainless Steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee Phillips, Nathaniel Steven [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2006-01-01

Superaustenitic stainless steels constitute a group of Fe-based alloys that are compositionally balanced to have a purely austenitic matrix and exhibit favorable pitting and crevice corrosion resistant properties and mechanical strength. However, intermetallic precipitates such as sigma and Laves can form during casting or exposure to high-temperature processing, which degrade the corrosion and mechanical properties of the material. The goal of this study was to accurately characterize the solid-solid phase transformations seen in cast superaustenitic stainless steels. Heat treatments were performed to understand the time and temperature ranges for intermetallic phase formations in alloys CN3MN and CK3MCuN. Microstructures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (EDS, WDS). The equilibrium microstructures, composed primarily of sigma and Laves within purely austenitic matrices, showed slow transformation kinetics. Factors that determine the extent of transformation, including diffusion, nucleation, and growth, are discussed.

Laves phase UTi2 stabilized by hydrogen and its magnetic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Buturlim, V.; Havela, L.; Sowa, S.; Kim-Ngan, N.-. T. H.; Paukov, M.; Drozdenko, D.; Dopita, M.; Minarik, P.; Mašková, S.

2018-05-01

We describe basic magnetic properties of uranium-based hydrides UTi2Hx, reported in literature as a cubic Laves phase, although the UTi2 binary phase does not exist. Using a high-temperature hydrogenation, we successfully synthesized two types of such hydrides, presumably with different H concentrations, one with a smaller lattice parameter a = 850.3 pm, which is a paramagnet close to the verge of magnetic ordering, the other with a = 858.8 pm, with a ferromagnetic ground state and ordering temperature TC = 54 K.

Ternary rhombohedral Laves phases RE_2Rh_3Ga (RE = Y, La-Nd, Sm, Gd-Er)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seidel, Stefan; Benndorf, Christopher; Heletta, Lukas; Poettgen, Rainer; Eckert, Hellmut; Sao Paulo Univ., Sao Carlos

2017-01-01

The ordered Laves phases RE_2Rh_3Ga (RE=Y, La-Nd, Sm, Gd-Er) were synthesized by arc-melting of the elements and subsequent annealing. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). They crystallize with the rhombohedral Mg_2Ni_3Si type structure, space group R3m. Three structures were refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: a=557.1(1), c=1183.1(2), wR2=0.0591, 159 F"2 values, 10 variables for Y_2Rh_3Ga, a=562.5(2), c=1194.4(2) pm, wR2=0.0519, 206 F"2 values, 11 variables for Ce_2Rh_3Ga and a=556.7(2), c=1184.1(3) pm, wR2=0.0396, 176 F"2 values, 11 variables for Tb_2Rh_3Ga. The Rh_3Ga tetrahedra are condensed via common corners and the large cavities left by the network are filled by the rare earth atoms. The RE_2Rh_3Ga Laves phases crystallize with a translationengleiche subgroup of the cubic RERh_2 Laves phases with MgCu_2 type. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal Pauli paramagnetism for Y_2Rh_3Ga and La_2Rh_3Ga. Ce_2Rh_3Ga shows intermediate cerium valence while all other RE_2Rh_3Ga phases are Curie-Weiss paramagnets which order magnetically at low temperatures. The "8"9Y and "7"1Ga solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the diamagnetic representative Y_2Rh_3Ga show well-defined single resonances in agreement with an ordered bulk phase. In comparison to the binary Laves phase YRh_2 a strongly increased "8"9Y resonance frequency is observed owing to a higher s-electron spin density at the "8"9Y nuclei as proven by density of states (DOS) calculations.

The effect of hot pressing time on the microstructure and properties of Laves phase NbCr{sub 2} alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, X. [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautical and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Aeronautical Technology, Nanchang 330063 (China); Lu, S.Q. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Aeronautical Technology, Nanchang 330063 (China)], E-mail: niatlusq@126.com; Hu, P.; Huang, M.G.; Nie, X.W. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang Institute of Aeronautical Technology, Nanchang 330063 (China); Fu, M.W. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2008-06-25

The microstructure and properties were investigated on the Laves phase NbCr{sub 2} alloys prepared through 20 h mechanical alloying of niobium and chromium powders and subsequent hot pressing at 1250 deg. C for different time. The results indicate that the Laves phase NbCr{sub 2} alloy with homogeneous microstructure and fine grains and high relative density is obtained. With the increase of hot pressing time, the density, grain size and Vickers hardness increase, the fracture toughness, however, decreases gradually. The alloy fabricated by hot pressing at 1250 deg. C for 30 min has the best overall properties. Its average grain size reaches about 248 nm, the relative density is 97.8% and the fracture toughness at room temperature is more than 4.7 MPa m{sup 1/2}. Compared with the Laves phase NbCr{sub 2} alloy prepared by arc-melting, which has the fracture toughness of 1.2 MPa m{sup 1/2}, the fracture toughness in this research is increased significantly.

Room and high temperature deformation behaviour of a forged Fe–15Al–5Nb alloy with a reinforcing dispersion of equiaxed Laves phase particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morris, D.G.; Muñoz-Morris, M.A.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Forged Fe–15%Al–5%Nb has a composite structure of soft matrix with equiaxed Laves phase particles. ► The material shows good strength with excellent ductility at room temperature. ► Good creep strength is maintained to 700 °C. ► The coarse composite microstructure ensures good long term stability at high temperatures. ► High temperature strength depends on load sharing between phases and microstructural refinement. - Abstract: The cast-in network of continuous Laves phase in a Fe–15%Al–5%Nb alloy has been converted to a dispersion of coarse Laves phase particles by high temperature forging, and the room temperature and high temperature deformation behaviour examined. The material shows good room temperature tensile ductility and good creep strength at temperatures up to 700 °C. The good high temperature strength is explained by the refinement of substructure by the dispersion of Laves phase particles and load and strain partitioning between the stiff and hard phase and the softer matrix. The relatively coarse microstructure is expected to be highly stable against coarsening at high temperatures, which should allow retention of creep properties even for long exposure times.

Morphology of intermetallic phases in Al-Si cast alloys and their fracture behaviour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lenka Hurtalová

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Applications of Al-Si cast alloys in recent years have increased especially in the automotive industry (dynamic exposed cast, en-gine parts, cylinder heads, pistons and so on. Controlling the microstructure of secondary aluminium cast alloys is very important, because these alloys contain more additional elements that form various intermetallic phases in the structure. Therefore, the contribution is dealing with the valuation type of intermetallic phases and their identification with using optical and scanning microscopy. Some of the intermetallic phases could be identified on the basis of morphology but some of them must be identified according EDX analysis. The properties of alu-minium alloy are affected by morphology of intermetallic phases and therefore it is necessary to study morphology and its fracture behav-iour. The present work shows morphology and typical fracture behaviour as the most common intermetallic phases forming in Al-Si alloys.

Irregular Homogeneity Domains in Ternary Intermetallic Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Marc Joubert

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Ternary intermetallic A–B–C systems sometimes have unexpected behaviors. The present paper examines situations in which there is a tendency to simultaneously form the compounds ABx, ACx and BCx with the same crystal structure. This causes irregular shapes of the phase homogeneity domains and, from a structural point of view, a complete reversal of site occupancies for the B atom when crossing the homogeneity domain. This work reviews previous studies done in the systems Fe–Nb–Zr, Hf–Mo–Re, Hf–Re–W, Mo–Re–Zr, Re–W–Zr, Cr–Mn–Si, Cr–Mo–Re, and Mo–Ni–Re, and involving the topologically close-packed Laves, χ and σ phases. These systems have been studied using ternary isothermal section determination, DFT calculations, site occupancy measurement using joint X-ray, and neutron diffraction Rietveld refinement. Conclusions are drawn concerning this phenomenon. The paper also reports new experimental or calculated data on Co–Cr–Re and Fe–Nb–Zr systems.

Intermetallic Strengthened Alumina-Forming Austenitic Steels for Energy Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Bin [Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States); Baker, Ian [Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)

2016-03-31

In order to achieve energy conversion efficiencies of >50 % for steam turbines/boilers in power generation systems, the materials required must be strong, corrosion-resistant at high temperatures (>700°C), and economically viable. Austenitic steels strengthened with Laves phase and L1₂ precipitates, and alloyed with aluminum to improve oxidation resistance, are potential candidate materials for these applications. The creep resistance of these alloys is significantly improved through intermetallic strengthening (Laves-Fe₂Nb + L1₂-Ni₃Al precipitates) without harmful effects on oxidation resistance. Microstructural and microchemical analyses of the recently developed alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) steels (Fe-14Cr-32Ni-3Nb-3Al-2Ti-based) indicated they are strengthened by Ni₃Al(Ti) L1₂, NiAl B₂, Fe₂Nb Laves phase and MC carbide precipitates. Different thermomechanical treatments (TMTs) were performed on these stainless steels in an attempt to further improve their mechanical properties. The thermo-mechanical processing produced nanocrystalline grains in AFA alloys and dramatically increased their yield strength at room temperature. Unfortunately, the TMTs didn’t increase the yield strengths of AFA alloys at ≥700ºC. At these temperatures, dislocation climb is the dominant mechanism for deformation of TMT alloys according to strain rate jump tests. After the characterization of aged AFA alloys, we found that the largest strengthening effect from L1₂ precipitates can be obtained by aging for less than 24 h. The coarsening behavior of the L1₂ precipitates was not influenced by carbon and boron additions. Failure analysis and post-mortem TEM analysis were performed to study the creep failure mechanisms of these AFA steels after creep tests. Though the Laves and B2-NiAl phase precipitated along the boundaries can improve the creep properties, cracks were

Effect of prior deformation on microstructural development and Laves phase precipitation in high-chromium stainless steel.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsiao, Z-W; Chen, D; Kuo, J-C; Lin, D-Y

2017-04-01

This study investigated the influence of deformation on precipitation behaviour and microstructure change during annealing. Here, the prior deformation of high-chromium stainless steel was tensile deformation of 3%, 6% and 10%, and the specimens were then annealed at 700˚C for 10 h. The specimens were subsequently analyzed using backscattered electron image and electron backscattering diffraction measurements with SEM. Compared with the deformation microstructure, the grains revealed no preferred orientation. The precipitates of TiN and NbC were formed homogenously in the grain interior and at grain boundaries after annealing. Fine Laves phase precipitates were observed in grains and along subgrain boundaries as the deformation increased. Furthermore, the volume fraction of Laves phase increased, but the average particle diameter of precipitate was reduced as the deformation increased. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

Polymorphism in the Laves-phase precipitates of a quinternary Nb-Mo-Cr-Al-Si alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Yanling; Vasiliev, Alexandre; Zhang Lichun; Song, Kai; Aindow, Mark

2009-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy has been used to study the precipitates that develop in the A2 phase of an Nb-Mo-Cr-Al-Si alloy upon heat treatment. The precipitates include a Laves-phase that adopts the cubic C15 structure initially and the hexagonal C14 structure in the later stages of precipitation. The morphologies, orientation relationships and defect microstructures indicate that the metastable C15 phase arises due to tensile coherency stresses and that a synchroshear polymorphic transformation to the equilibrium C14 phase occurs as these relax

Investigation on thixojoining to produce hybrid components with intermetallic phase

Science.gov (United States)

Seyboldt, Christoph; Liewald, Mathias

2018-05-01

Current research activities at the Institute for Metal Forming Technology of the University of Stuttgart are focusing on the manufacturing of hybrid components using semi-solid forming strategies. One process investigated is the joining of different materials in the semi-solid state and is so called "thixojoining". In this process, metallic inlays are inserted into the semi-solid forming die before the actual forming process and are then joined with a material which was heated up to its semi-solid state. Earlier investigations have shown that using this process a very well-shaped form closure can be produced. Furthermore, it was found that sometimes intermetallic phases are built between the different materials, which decisively influence the part properties of such hybrid components for its future application. Within the framework presented in this paper, inlays made of aluminum, brass and steel were joined with aluminum in the semi-solid state. The aim of the investigations was to create an intermetallic bond between the different materials. For this investigations the liquid phase fraction of the aluminum and the temperature of the inlay were varied in order to determine the influence on the formation of the intermetallic phase. Forming trials were performed using a semi-solid forming die with a disk shaped design. Furthermore, the intermetallic phase built was investigated using microsections.

Ternary rhombohedral Laves phases RE{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga (RE = Y, La-Nd, Sm, Gd-Er)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seidel, Stefan; Benndorf, Christopher; Heletta, Lukas; Poettgen, Rainer [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische und Analytische Chemie; Janka, Oliver [Oldenburg Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Chemie; Mausolf, Bernhard [RWTH Aachen (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische Chemie; Haarmann, Frank [RWTH Aachen (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische Chemie; Max-Planck-Institut fuer Chemische Physik fester Stoffe, Dresden (Germany); Eckert, Hellmut [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Physikalische Chemie; Sao Paulo Univ., Sao Carlos (Brazil). Inst. of Physics

2017-06-01

The ordered Laves phases RE{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga (RE=Y, La-Nd, Sm, Gd-Er) were synthesized by arc-melting of the elements and subsequent annealing. The samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). They crystallize with the rhombohedral Mg{sub 2}Ni{sub 3}Si type structure, space group R3m. Three structures were refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: a=557.1(1), c=1183.1(2), wR2=0.0591, 159 F{sup 2} values, 10 variables for Y{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga, a=562.5(2), c=1194.4(2) pm, wR2=0.0519, 206 F{sup 2} values, 11 variables for Ce{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga and a=556.7(2), c=1184.1(3) pm, wR2=0.0396, 176 F{sup 2} values, 11 variables for Tb{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga. The Rh{sub 3}Ga tetrahedra are condensed via common corners and the large cavities left by the network are filled by the rare earth atoms. The RE{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga Laves phases crystallize with a translationengleiche subgroup of the cubic RERh{sub 2} Laves phases with MgCu{sub 2} type. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal Pauli paramagnetism for Y{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga and La{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga. Ce{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga shows intermediate cerium valence while all other RE{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga phases are Curie-Weiss paramagnets which order magnetically at low temperatures. The {sup 89}Y and {sup 71}Ga solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the diamagnetic representative Y{sub 2}Rh{sub 3}Ga show well-defined single resonances in agreement with an ordered bulk phase. In comparison to the binary Laves phase YRh{sub 2} a strongly increased {sup 89}Y resonance frequency is observed owing to a higher s-electron spin density at the {sup 89}Y nuclei as proven by density of states (DOS) calculations.

Assessment of off-stoichiometric Zr33-xFe52+xSi15 C14 Laves phase compounds as permanent magnet materials

Science.gov (United States)

Gabay, A. M.; Hadjipanayis, G. C.

2018-05-01

Recently, Fe-based rare-earth-free compounds with non-cubic crystal structures were proposed as a base for permanent magnets which would not rely on critical elements. In this work, two series of alloys, Zr27Fe73-wSiw (0 ≤ w ≤ 15) and Zr33-xFe52+xSi15 (0 ≤ x ≤ 11), were prepared and characterized after annealing at 1538 K in order to determine the fundamental magnetic properties of the C36 and C14 hexagonal Laves phase compounds. A mixture of the cubic C15 and Zr6Fe23 structures was observed instead of the expected C36 structure. The hexagonal C14 was found in all Zr33-xFe52+xSi15 alloys with its lattice parameters linearly decreasing as the Fe(Si) atoms occupy the Zr sites in the Laves phase crystal structure. The solubility limit of Fe in the C14 structure at 1538 K corresponds to x = 9.5. The Curie temperature of the C14 compounds increases with deviation from the Laves phase stoichiometry from 290 K to 530 K. The room-temperature spontaneous magnetization also increases reaching, after correcting for the non-magnetic impurities, a value of 6.7 kG. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the off-stoichiometric C14 Laves phase was found to be uniaxial with the easy magnetization direction parallel to the hexagonal axis. Unfortunately, the anisotropy field, which does not exceed 10 kOe, is not sufficiently high to make the compounds interesting as permanent magnet materials.

Characterization of oxidation products on a ZrFe2-type laves intermetallic exposed to 200degreeC steam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abraham, D. P.; Dietz, N.; Finnegan, N.

2000-01-01

The release of radioactive elements from the stainless steel-15 wt% zirconium (SS-15Zr) metal waste form will be governed by the corrosion behavior of ZrFe 2 -type intermetallics phases present in the alloy. In this article, oxidation products that formed on a ZrFe 2 -type intermetallic sample exposed to 200 C steam were characterized by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The data revealed two oxide layers on the sample surface: an outer crystalline iron-oxide layer and an inner amorphous zirconium-rich layer believed to be zirconium oxide. Thermodynamic considerations indicate that the zirconium-rich layer formed first. The iron-oxide layer appears to have resulted from the diffusion of iron through the zirconium-rich layer to the oxide-vapor interface

Alumina-Forming Austenitic Stainless Steels Strengthened by Laves Phase and MC Carbide Precipitates

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Y.; Brady, M. P.; Lu, Z. P.; Liu, C. T.; Takeyama, M.; Maziasz, P. J.; Pint, B. A.

2007-11-01

Creep strengthening of Al-modified austenitic stainless steels by MC carbides or Fe2Nb Laves phase was explored. Fe-20Cr-15Ni-(0-8)Al and Fe-15Cr-20Ni-5Al base alloys (at. pct) with small additions of Nb, Mo, W, Ti, V, C, and B were cast, thermally-processed, and aged. On exposure from 650 °C to 800 °C in air and in air with 10 pct water vapor, the alloys exhibited continuous protective Al2O3 scale formation at an Al level of only 5 at. pct (2.4 wt pct). Matrices of the Fe-20Cr-15Ni-5Al base alloys consisted of γ (fcc) + α (bcc) dual phase due to the strong α-Fe stabilizing effect of the Al addition and exhibited poor creep resistance. However, adjustment of composition to the Fe-15Cr-20Ni-5Al base resulted in alloys that were single-phase γ-Fe and still capable of alumina scale formation. Alloys that relied solely on Fe2Nb Laves phase precipitates for strengthening exhibited relatively low creep resistance, while alloys that also contained MC carbide precipitates exhibited creep resistance comparable to that of commercially available heat-resistant austenitic stainless steels. Phase equilibria studies indicated that NbC precipitates in combination with Fe2Nb were of limited benefit to creep resistance due to the solution limit of NbC within the γ-Fe matrix of the alloys studied. However, when combined with other MC-type strengtheners, such as V4C3 or TiC, higher levels of creep resistance were obtained.

The nucleation and growth of intermetallic Al-Pt phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovacs, A.; Barna, P.B.; Labar, J. l.

2002-01-01

The nucleation and growth of intermetallic Al-Pt phases on amorphous carbon was investigated by half shadow technique in co-deposited thin films. In such experimental condition, the composition of the deposited films varied in the range of Al x Pt 1-x (0≤x≤0.6). The coexistence of Al 5 Pt, Al 2 Pt, Al 3 Pt 2 intermetallic phases have been found in the whole range with varying ratio. Vapour depositions were performed in an UHV system. The Al and Pt components were evaporated simultaneously onto amorphous carbon layer supported by TEM micro-grids. Deposition rates were controlled separately by quartz crystal monitors. Substrate temperature during deposition was 350 grad C. A special evaporation arrangement made possible to create a half shadow area on the substrate in which the quantity one of the components increased from zero to the wanted composition of the sample. The composition of the zones was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in TEM. The intermetallic phases developed in the sample were investigated by analytical TEM (Philips CM20) and high resolution TEM (JEOL 3010 UHR). The electron diffraction patterns have been evaluated by ProcessDiffraction program. (Authors)

Stacking faults in Zr(Fe, Cr)2 Laves structured secondary phase particle in Zircaloy-4 alloy.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chengze; Li, Geping; Yuan, Fusen; Han, Fuzhou; Zhang, Yingdong; Gu, Hengfei

2018-02-01

Stacking faults (SFs) in secondary phase particles (SPPs), which generally crystallize in the Laves phase in Zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) alloy, have been frequently observed by researchers. However, few investigations on the nano-scale structure of SFs have been carried out. In the present study, an SF containing C14 structured SPP, which located at grain boundaries (GBs) in the α-Zr matrix, was chosen to be investigated, for its particular substructure as well as location, aiming to reveal the nature of the SFs in the SPPs in Zr-4 alloy. It was indicated that the SFs in the C14 structured SPP actually existed in the local C36 structured Laves phase, for their similarities in crystallography. The C14 → C36 phase transformation, which was driven by synchroshearing among the (0001) basal planes, was the formation mechanism of the SFs in the SPPs. By analyzing the strained regions near the SPP, a model for understanding the driving force of the synchroshear was proposed: the interaction between SPP and GB resulted in the Zener pinning effect, leading to the shearing parallel to the (0001) basal planes of the C14 structured SPP, and the synchroshear was therefore activated.

The creep properties of a low alloy ferritic steel containing an intermetallic precipitate dispersion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batte, A.D.; Murphy, M.C.; Edmonds, D.V.

1976-01-01

A good combination of creep rupture ductility and strength together with excellent long term thermal stability, has been obtained from a dispersion of intermetallic Laves phase precipitate in a non-transforming ferritic low alloy steel. The steel is without many of the problems currently associated with the heat affected zone microstructures of low alloy transformable ferritic steels, and can be used as a weld metal. Following suitable development to optimize the composition and heat treatment, such alloys may provide a useful range of weldable creep resistant steels for steam turbine and other high temperature applications. They would offer the unique possibility of easily achievable microstructural uniformity, giving good long term strength and ductility across the entire welded joint

The intermetallic ThRh5: microstructure and enthalpy increments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banerjee, Aparna; Joshi, A.R.; Kaity, Santu; Mishra, R.; Roy, S.B.

2013-01-01

Actinide intermetallics are one of the most interesting and important series of compounds. Thermochemistry of these compounds play significant role in understand the nature of bonding in alloys and nuclear fuel performance. In the present paper we report synthesis and characterization of thorium based intermetallic compound ThRh 5 (s) by SEM/EDX technique. The mechanical properties and enthalpy increment as a function of temperature of the alloy has been measured. (author)

Self-interaction corrected local spin density calculations of actinides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petit, Leon; Svane, Axel; Szotek, Z

2010-01-01

We use the self-interaction corrected local spin-density approximation in order to describe localization-delocalization phenomena in the strongly correlated actinide materials. Based on total energy considerations, the methodology enables us to predict the ground-state valency configuration...... of the actinide ions in these compounds from first principles. Here we review a number of applications, ranging from electronic structure calculations of actinide metals, nitrides and carbides to the behaviour under pressure of intermetallics, and O vacancies in PuO2....

EFFECT OF INTERMETALLIC PHASES ON CORROSION BEHAVIOR AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL AND SUPER-DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prabhu Paulraj

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Duplex Stainless Steels (DSS and Super Duplex Stainless Steel (SDSS have excellent integration of mechanical and corrosion properties. However, the formation of intermetallic phases is a major problem in their usage. The mechanical and corrosion properties are deteriorated due to the presence of intermetallic phases. These phases are induced during welding, prolonged exposure to high temperatures, and improper heat treatments. The main emphasis of this review article is on intermetallic phases and their effects on corrosion and mechanical properties. First the effect of various alloying elements on DSS and SDSS has been discussed followed by formation of various intermetallic phases. The intermetallic phases affect impact toughness and corrosion resistance significantly. Their deleterious effect on weldments has also been reviewed.

Mechanical and tribological properties of newly developed Tribaloy alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, W.; Liu, R.; Patnaik, P.C.; Yao, M.X.; Wu, X.J.

2007-01-01

Outstanding combination of mechanical, wear and corrosion performance has been achieved in Laves intermetallic materials, termed Tribaloy alloys. In these two-phase alloys the solid solution provides high mechanical strength and fracture toughness while the Laves intermetallic phase offers excellent wear resistance. However, conventional Tribaloy alloys usually have low tensile strength and fracture toughness compared with ductile materials due to the large volume fraction of Laves phase, which has limited their application in many cases. The present research is aimed at developing advanced Tribaloy alloys with increasing ductility. Two new cobalt base alloys were developed in this research. The specimens were fabricated with a centrifugal casting technique. The material characterization was performed using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscope (SEM), indentation and ball-on-disc tribological techniques

An experimental study of praseodymium intermetallic compounds at low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greidanus, F.J.A.M.

1982-01-01

In this thesis the author studies the low temperature properties of praseodymium intermetallic compounds. In chapter 2 some of the techniques used for the experiments described in the subsequent chapters are discussed. A set-up to perform specific-heat experiments below 1 K and a technique for performing magnetic susceptibility measurments below 1 K, using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) are described. Chapter 3 is devoted to the theory of interacting Pr 3+ ions. Both bilinear and biquadratic interactions are dealt with in a molecular-field approximation. It is shown that first as well as second-order phase transitions can occur, depending on the nature of the ground state, and on the ratio of magnetic to crystal-field interactions. In chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 experimental results on the cubic Laves phase compounds PrRh 2 , PrIr 2 , PrPt 2 , PrRu 2 and PrNi 2 are presented. From inelastic neutron scattering experiments the crystalline electric field parameters of the above compounds are determined. In chapters 5 and 6 susceptibility, neutron-diffraction, hyperfine specific-heat, low-field magnetization, pulsed-field magnetization, specific-heat and resistivity measurements are presented. In chapter 7 the specific heat and differential susceptibility of PrNi 2 below 1 K are studied. Finally, in chapter 8 praseodymium intermetallic compounds with low-symmetry singlet ground states, and cubic compounds with magnetic doublet ground states are studied. (Auth.)

Atom probe tomography of intermetallic phases and interfaces formed in dissimilar joining between Al alloys and steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lemmens, B.; Springer, H.; Duarte, M.J.; De Graeve, I.; De Strycker, J.; Raabe, D.; Verbeken, K.

2016-01-01

While Si additions to Al are widely used to reduce the thickness of the brittle intermetallic seam formed at the interface during joining of Al alloys to steel, the underlying mechanisms are not clarified yet. The developed approach for the site specific atom probe tomography analysis revealed Si enrichments at grain and phase boundaries between the θ (Fe 4 Al 13 ) and η (Fe 2 Al 5 ) phase, up to about ten times that of the concentration in Al. The increase in Si concentration could play an important role for the growth kinetics of the intermetallic phases formed for example in hot-dip aluminizing of steel. - Highlights: •Si additions to Al reduce thickness of intermetallic seam in joining with steel. •Approach developed for the site specific APT analysis of the intermetallic seam •Si enrichment at grain and phase boundaries possibly affects growth of intermetallics.

Anisotropic behavior and complex colinear magnetic structures of cerium and actinide intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, B.R.

1977-01-01

A review is given of the experimental situation and degree of theoretical understanding for the occurrence of complex colinear magnetic structures in cerium and actinide intermetallics of NaCl structure. In doing this, emphasis is on the qualitative nature of the anisotropic effects necessary to understand the behavior. With this in mind we focus on the I to IA magnetic structure transition, and indeed more simply, on the occurrence of the IA magnetic structure which appears for CeBi, UAs, and some of the mixed uranium monopnictide-monochalcogenides. We show how the experimental observations involving properties related to the IA magnetic structure indicate important qualitative features of the physical mechanism involved. Through discussion of the possible analogue to the situation in UO 2 , the idea is introduced that magnetoelastic effects involving internal rearrangement modes may play a key role in the occurrence of the IA structure. Internal rearrangement modes are modes where one ionic species remains at its site in the undistorted crystal structure, and the other species is displaced from its position in the undistorted structure. We show that in a very natural way one can anticipate the possible occurrence of an internal rearrangement mode having a four-layer, periodic displacement sequence for planes for one species in the NaCl structure crystals, while the other species remains undisplaced. The presence of such a static lattice mode is susceptible to direct experimental observation. (author)

A phase-field model for non-equilibrium solidification of intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Assadi, H.

2007-01-01

Intermetallics may exhibit unique solidification behaviour-including slow growth kinetics, anomalous partitioning and formation of unusual growth morphologies-because of departure from local equilibrium. A phase-field model is developed and used to illustrate these non-equilibrium effects in solidification of a prototype B2 intermetallic phase. The model takes sublattice compositions as primary field variables, from which chemical long-range order is derived. The diffusive reactions between the two sublattices, and those between each sublattice and the liquid phase are taken as 'internal' kinetic processes, which take place within control volumes of the system. The model can thus capture solute and disorder trapping effects, which are consistent-over a wide range of the solid/liquid interface thickness-with the predictions of the sharp-interface theory of solute and disorder trapping. The present model can also take account of solid-state ordering and thus illustrate the effects of chemical ordering on microstructure formation and crystal growth kinetics

EFFECT OF INTERMETALLIC PHASES ON CORROSION BEHAVIOR AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL AND SUPER-DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL

OpenAIRE

Prabhu Paulraj; Rajnish Garg

2015-01-01

Duplex Stainless Steels (DSS) and Super Duplex Stainless Steel (SDSS) have excellent integration of mechanical and corrosion properties. However, the formation of intermetallic phases is a major problem in their usage. The mechanical and corrosion properties are deteriorated due to the presence of intermetallic phases. These phases are induced during welding, prolonged exposure to high temperatures, and improper heat treatments. The main emphasis of this review article is on intermetallic pha...

Electronic structure and phase stability during martensitic transformation in Al-doped ZrCu intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qiu Feng; Shen Ping; Liu Tao; Lin Qiaoli; Jiang Qichuan

2010-01-01

Martensitic transformation, phase stability and electronic structure of Al-doped ZrCu intermetallics were investigated by experiments and first-principles calculations using the pseudopotentials plane wave method. The formation energy calculations indicate that the stability of the ZrCu phase increases with the increasing Al content. Al plays a decisive role in controlling the formation and microstructures of the martensite phases in Zr-Cu-Al alloys. The total energy difference between ZrCu (B2) austenite and ZrCu martensite plays an important role in the martensitic transformation. The phase stability is dependent on its electronic structure. The densities of states (DOS) of the intermetallics were discussed in detail.

Sintered cobalt-rare earth intermetallic product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benz, M.C.

1975-01-01

A process is described for preparing novel sintered cobalt--rare earth intermetallic products which can be magnetized to form permanent magnets having stable improved magnetic properties. A cobalt--rare earth metal alloy is formed having a composition which at sintering temperature falls outside the composition covered by the single Co 5 R intermetallic phase on the rare earth richer side. The alloy contains a major amount of the Co 5 R intermetallic phase and a second solid CoR phase which is richer in rare earth metal content than the Co 5 R phase. The specific cobalt and rare earth metal content of the alloy is substantially the same as that desired in the sintered product. The alloy, in particulate form, is pressed into compacts and sintered to the desired density. The sintered product is comprised of a major amount of the Co 5 R solid intermetallic phase and up to about 35 percent of the product of the second solid CoR intermetallic phase which is richer in rare earth metal content than the Co 5 R phase

Calculation of binary phase diagrams between the actinide elements, rare earth elements, and transition metal elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selle, J.E.

1992-01-01

Attempts were made to apply the Kaufman method of calculating binary phase diagrams to the calculation of binary phase diagrams between the rare earths, actinides, and the refractory transition metals. Difficulties were encountered in applying the method to the rare earths and actinides, and modifications were necessary to provide accurate representation of known diagrams. To calculate the interaction parameters for rare earth-rare earth diagrams, it was necessary to use the atomic volumes for each of the phases: liquid, body-centered cubic, hexagonal close-packed, and face-centered cubic. Determination of the atomic volumes of each of these phases for each element is discussed in detail. In some cases, empirical means were necessary. Results are presented on the calculation of rare earth-rare earth, rare earth-actinide, and actinide-actinide diagrams. For rare earth-refractory transition metal diagrams and actinide-refractory transition metal diagrams, empirical means were required to develop values for the enthalpy of vaporization for rare earth elements and values for the constant (C) required when intermediate phases are present. Results of using the values determined for each element are presented

Phase Behavior and Equations of State of the Actinide Oxides

Science.gov (United States)

Chidester, B.; Pardo, O. S.; Panero, W. R.; Fischer, R. A.; Thompson, E. C.; Heinz, D. L.; Prescher, C.; Prakapenka, V. B.; Campbell, A.

2017-12-01

The distribution of the long-lived heat-producing actinide elements U and Th in the deep Earth has important implications for the dynamics of the mantle and possibly the energy budget of Earth's core. The low shear velocities of the Large Low-Shear Velocity Provinces (LLSVPs) on the core-mantle boundary suggests that these regions are at least partially molten and may contain concentrated amounts of the radioactive elements, as well as other large cations such as the rare Earth elements. As such, by exploring the phase behavior of actinide-bearing minerals at extreme conditions, some insight into the mineralogy, formation, and geochemical and geodynamical effects of these regions can be gained. We have performed in situ high-pressure, high-temperature synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments and calculations on two actinide oxide materials, UO2 and ThO2, to determine their phase behavior at the extreme conditions of the lower mantle. Experiments on ThO2 reached 60 GPa and 2500 K, and experiments on UO2 reached 95 GPa and 2500 K. We find that ThO2 exists in the fluorite-type structure to 20 GPa at high temperatures, at which point it transforms to the high-pressure cotunnite-type structure and remains thus up to 60 GPa. At room temperature, an anomalous expansion of the fluorite structure is observed prior to the transition, and may signal anion sub-lattice disorder. Similarly, UO2 exists in the fluorite-type structure at ambient conditions and up to 28 GPa at high temperatures. Above these pressures, we have observed a previously unidentified phase of UO2 with a tetragonal structure as the lower-temperature phase and the cotunnite-type phase at higher temperatures. Above 78 GPa, UO2 undergoes another transition or possible dissociation into two separate oxide phases. These phase diagrams suggest that the actinides could exist as oxides in solid solution with other analogous phases (e.g. ZrO2) in the cotunnite-type structure throughout much of Earth's lower mantle.

Influence of 5f electrons on structure and bonding in the actinide-hydrogen intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ward, J.W.

1984-01-01

Complexa phases form for the Th + H and U + H systems that are found with no other metals. In the Pa + H system, simple bcc C15 Laves and A15 phases can form, dependent on temperature and composition. The phase transformations appear to b magnetically driven, as a resutl of the decoupling of the metallic 5f electron bonding that occurs during hydriding; the C15 phases contain two kinds of Pa atoms-the one sublattice being still fully f-bonded and the other magnetic. This is a unique situation in solid state physics which defies a valence description. A similar situation obtains for A15 β - UH 3 structure. The parent metals themselves exhibit electronegativities not unlike those of the mid-3d transition metals (e.g., Fe) because the valence electrons re tied up in metallic bonding. However, under the driving force for hydriding, the lattices can open up, decoupling the f-bonding and inducing magnetism. The systems then aggressively form very stable hydrides typical of highly-electropositive metals. Beyond uranium the trivalent metallic state is favored and rare-earth-like hydrides are found for Np + H and Pu + H. Nevertheless, the solid-state and transport properties are markedly different than for the rare-earth hydrides, showing that the latent influence of the 5f electrons is still strong

The role of intermetallic phases in the corrosion of magnesium-rare earth alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Silva Campos, Maria del Rosario

2016-07-25

A new concept to develop a RE based Mg alloy with improved corrosion resistance was followed in the current work. Based on subsequent characterisation steps to eliminate less suitable RE elements the best microstructure for improved corrosion resistance was identified. At first, the corrosion properties of selected RE elements were determined. Based on these results RE elements that have a potential to enhance the corrosion resistance of Mg-RE alloys were selected. Two aspects of RE elements were important for the selection: the electrochemical properties and the solid solubility in Mg. If the solubility limit of RE elements in the Mg matrix is exceeded, they form intermetallic phases with Mg. By performing galvanic coupling measurements the compatibility between Mg matrix and intermetallic phases were estimated. At that point three binary Mg-RE alloys systems remained (Mg-Ce, Mg-La, and Mg-Gd). To evaluate the influence of composition (amount of intermetallic phases) on the corrosion behaviour, four concentrations were cast with 1, 5, 10 and 15 wt. % of RE. Ce and La have a lower solid solubility in Mg matrix generating higher volume fraction of the secondary phases, thus higher dissolution rates in the binary Mg-RE alloys. While Gd with higher solid solubility shows a different behaviour. Additions of up to 10 wt. % Gd resulted in similar behaviour compared to 1 wt. % Gd addition. The most promising results were obtained for the Mg-Gd system with 10 wt. % Gd. Thus, the microstructure of this alloy was further modified by heat treatments to understand the influence of microstructural changes on corrosion behaviour. A ternary element was used to attempt further optimisation of the corrosion performance. Additions of Al, Zn, Ga and Y did not show any improvement in the corrosion resistance of Mg10Gd. This is due to increasing volume fractions of critical more noble phases and the microstructure dominated by eutectic phase formation. Thus galvanic effects became much

The role of intermetallic phases in the corrosion of magnesium-rare earth alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva Campos, Maria del Rosario

2016-01-01

A new concept to develop a RE based Mg alloy with improved corrosion resistance was followed in the current work. Based on subsequent characterisation steps to eliminate less suitable RE elements the best microstructure for improved corrosion resistance was identified. At first, the corrosion properties of selected RE elements were determined. Based on these results RE elements that have a potential to enhance the corrosion resistance of Mg-RE alloys were selected. Two aspects of RE elements were important for the selection: the electrochemical properties and the solid solubility in Mg. If the solubility limit of RE elements in the Mg matrix is exceeded, they form intermetallic phases with Mg. By performing galvanic coupling measurements the compatibility between Mg matrix and intermetallic phases were estimated. At that point three binary Mg-RE alloys systems remained (Mg-Ce, Mg-La, and Mg-Gd). To evaluate the influence of composition (amount of intermetallic phases) on the corrosion behaviour, four concentrations were cast with 1, 5, 10 and 15 wt. % of RE. Ce and La have a lower solid solubility in Mg matrix generating higher volume fraction of the secondary phases, thus higher dissolution rates in the binary Mg-RE alloys. While Gd with higher solid solubility shows a different behaviour. Additions of up to 10 wt. % Gd resulted in similar behaviour compared to 1 wt. % Gd addition. The most promising results were obtained for the Mg-Gd system with 10 wt. % Gd. Thus, the microstructure of this alloy was further modified by heat treatments to understand the influence of microstructural changes on corrosion behaviour. A ternary element was used to attempt further optimisation of the corrosion performance. Additions of Al, Zn, Ga and Y did not show any improvement in the corrosion resistance of Mg10Gd. This is due to increasing volume fractions of critical more noble phases and the microstructure dominated by eutectic phase formation. Thus galvanic effects became much

Hydrogen diffusion in the Laves-phase compound TiCr1.78

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazzolai, G.; Coluzzi, B.; Biscarini, A.; Mazzolai, F.M.; Tuissi, A.; Agresti, F.; Principi, G.; Lo Russo, S.

2009-01-01

The temperature dependence of the Young's modulus and of the internal friction (IF) has been investigated between 80 and 300 K at acoustical frequencies in the hexagonal (C14) Laves-phase TiCr 1.78 charged with hydrogen. In this compound H occupies tetrahedral interstitial sites which are grouped in interlinked hexagons. A mechanical relaxation has been found at around 120 K (f = 5.4 kHz), which appears to be due to tunnelling transitions of delocalized H from one hexagon to the other. The rate of H absorption has been investigated at high temperature (660-1200 K) and the H diffusion coefficient has been derived from the pressure measurement as a function of time. A cumulative Arrhenius plot of IF and absorption diffusion data exhibits a non-exponential behaviour, which is due to a change in the diffusion mechanism from over-barrier hopping at high temperature to phonon-assisted tunnelling at low temperature.

MOLECULAR SPECTROSCPY AND REACTIONS OF ACTINIDES IN THE GAS PHASE AND CRYOGENIC MATRICES

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heaven, Michael C.; Gibson, John K.; Marcalo, Joaquim

2009-02-01

In this chapter we review the spectroscopic data for actinide molecules and the reaction dynamics for atomic and molecular actinides that have been examined in the gas phase or in inert cryogenic matrices. The motivation for this type of investigation is that physical properties and reactions can be studied in the absence of external perturbations (gas phase) or under minimally perturbing conditions (cryogenic matrices). This information can be compared directly with the results from high-level theoretical models. The interplay between experiment and theory is critically important for advancing our understanding of actinide chemistry. For example, elucidation of the role of the 5f electrons in bonding and reactivity can only be achieved through the application of experimentally verified theoretical models. Theoretical calculations for the actinides are challenging due the large numbers of electrons that must be treated explicitly and the presence of strong relativistic effects. This topic has been reviewed in depth in Chapter 17 of this series. One of the goals of the experimental work described in this chapter has been to provide benchmark data that can be used to evaluate both empirical and ab initio theoretical models. While gas-phase data are the most suitable for comparison with theoretical calculations, there are technical difficulties entailed in generating workable densities of gas-phase actinide molecules that have limited the range of species that have been characterized. Many of the compounds of interest are refractory, and problems associated with the use of high temperature vapors have complicated measurements of spectra, ionization energies, and reactions. One approach that has proved to be especially valuable in overcoming this difficulty has been the use of pulsed laser ablation to generate plumes of vapor from refractory actinide-containing materials. The vapor is entrained in an inert gas, which can be used to cool the actinide species to room

Quantitative assessment of intermetallic phase precipitation in a super duplex stainless steel weld metal using automatic image analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregori, A. [AB Sandvik Steel, Sandviken (Sweden). R and D Centre; Nilsson, J.-O. [AB Sandvik Steel, R and D Centre, Sandviken (Sweden); Bonollo, F. [Univ. di Padova, DTGSI, Vicenza (Italy)

1999-07-01

The microstructure of weld metal of the type 25%Cr-10%Ni-4%Mo-0.28%N in both as-welded and isothermally heat treated (temperature range: 700-1050 C: time range: 10s-72h) conditions has been investigated. Multipass welding was performed in Ar+2%N{sub 2} atmosphere using GTAW. By means of the electron diffraction technique. {sigma}-phase and {chi}-phase were detected and investigated. {chi}-phase precipitated more readily than {sigma}-phase and was found to be a precursor to {sigma}-phase by providing suitable nucleation sites. Quantitative image analysis of ferrite and intermetallic phases was performed as well as manual point counting (ISO 9042). Automatic image analysis was found to be more accurate. The results were used to assess the TTT-diagram with respect to intermetallic phase formation. On the basis of these results a CCT-diagram was computed, considering the intermetallic phase formation described by an Avrami type equation and adopting the additivity rule. (orig.)

Sintered cobalt-rare earth intermetallic product

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benz, M.G.

1975-01-01

This patent describes a sintered product having substantially stable permanent magnet properties in air at room temperature. It comprises compacted particulate cobalt--rare earth alloy consisting essentially of a Co 5 R intermetallic phase and a CoR intermetallic phase which is richer in rare earth metal content than the Co 5 R phase, where R is a rare earth metal. The Co 5 R intermetallic phase is present in an amount of at least 65 percent by weight of the sintered product and the CoR intermetallic phase which is richer in rare earth metal content than the Co 5 R phase is present in a positive amount having a value ranging up to about 35 percent by weight of the product. The sintered product has a density of at least 87 percent and has pores which are substantially noninterconnecting and wherein the component grains have an average size less than 30 microns

Experimental investigation of the Zr corner of the ternary Zr-Nb-Fe phase diagram

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Granovsky, M.S. E-mail: granovsk@cnea.gov.ar; Canay, M.; Lena, E.; Arias, D

2002-04-01

Intermediate phases in the Zr-rich region of the Zr-Nb-Fe system have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis. The chemical composition ranges covered by the alloys studied here are: (41-97) at.% Zr, (32-0.9) at.% Nb and (0.6-38) at.% Fe. The phases found in this region were: the solid solutions {alpha}-Zr and {beta}-Zr, the intermetallic Zr{sub 3}Fe with less than 0.2 at.% Nb in solution, two new ternary intermetallic compounds (Zr+Nb){sub 2}Fe '{lambda}{sub 1}' with a cubic Ti{sub 2}Ni-type structure in the composition range (2.4-13) at.% Nb and (31-33) at.% Fe, and (Fe+Nb){sub 2}Zr '{lambda}{sub 2}' indexed as hexagonal Laves phase MgZn{sub 2} type (C14) with a wide range of compositions close to (35-37) at.% Zr, (12-31) at.% Nb and (32-53) at.% Fe.

Experimental investigation of the Zr corner of the ternary Zr-Nb-Fe phase diagram

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granovsky, M.S.; Canay, M.; Lena, E.; Arias, D.

2002-01-01

Intermediate phases in the Zr-rich region of the Zr-Nb-Fe system have been investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis. The chemical composition ranges covered by the alloys studied here are: (41-97) at.% Zr, (32-0.9) at.% Nb and (0.6-38) at.% Fe. The phases found in this region were: the solid solutions α-Zr and β-Zr, the intermetallic Zr 3 Fe with less than 0.2 at.% Nb in solution, two new ternary intermetallic compounds (Zr+Nb) 2 Fe 'λ 1 ' with a cubic Ti 2 Ni-type structure in the composition range (2.4-13) at.% Nb and (31-33) at.% Fe, and (Fe+Nb) 2 Zr 'λ 2 ' indexed as hexagonal Laves phase MgZn 2 type (C14) with a wide range of compositions close to (35-37) at.% Zr, (12-31) at.% Nb and (32-53) at.% Fe

Cerium compounds in the fashion of the light actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koelling, D.D.

1984-01-01

Researchers familiar with the light actinides easily recognize in cerium compounds a microcosm of the rich variety of properties seen in the light actinides. The parallelism seen between comparable cerium and actinide compounds strongly suggests that the same physical models are applicable. The most significant is the relative size of the f-orbital. Localization is generally tighter in Ce compounds than uranium compounds, making Ce roughly analogous to Np through Am. A way to see the actinide parallelism is to compare Hill plots. Compounds in the different regions of the plots (representing different physics) are isostructural compounds with the same companion (B) elements. The most common materials exhibiting a direct f-f interaction are the cubic Laves compounds. Accordingly, we have determined the band structures of CeRu 2 , CeRh 2 , CeIr 2 , CeOs 2 , and CeNi 2 . Compounds illustrative of the interaction of f-orbitals with ligand orbitals are the Cu 3 Au structured materials. Materials calculated in this class are CeRh 3 , CePd 3 , and CeSn 3 - the materials of much interest as mixed valent. Although the focus is on the Ce compounds, calculations performed on uranium isomorphs are used to highlight the interesting physics

Vanadium Influence on Iron Based Intermetallic Phases in AlSi6Cu4 Alloy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bolibruchová D.

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Negative effect of iron in Al-Si alloys mostly refers with iron based intermetallic phases, especially Al5FeSi phases. These phases are present in platelet-like forms, which sharp edges are considered as main cracks initiators and also as contributors of porosity formation. In recent times, addition of some elements, for example Mn, Co, Cr, Ni, V, is used to reduce influence of iron. Influence of vanadium in aluminium AlSi6Cu4 alloy with intentionally increased iron content is presented in this article. Vanadium amount has been graduated and chemical composition of alloy has been analysed by spectral analysis. Vanadium influence on microstructural changes was evaluated by microstructural analysis and some of intermetallic particles were reviewed by EDX analysis.

Hydrogen diffusion in the Laves-phase compound TiCr{sub 1.78}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mazzolai, G. [University of Perugia, Department of Physics, Via A. Pascoli 5, 06100 Perugia (Italy); Universita Telematica e-Campus, Via Isimbardi 10, Novedrate (Colombia) (Italy); Coluzzi, B.; Biscarini, A. [University of Perugia, Department of Physics, Via A. Pascoli 5, 06100 Perugia (Italy); Mazzolai, F.M., E-mail: fabio.mazzolai@fisica.unipg.it [University of Perugia, Department of Physics, Via A. Pascoli 5, 06100 Perugia (Italy); Tuissi, A. [Institute for Energy and Interphases, CNR-IENI, C.so Promessi Sposi, 29, Lecco (Italy); Agresti, F.; Principi, G. [University of Padua, Dept. of Mech. Eng., via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua (Italy); Lo Russo, S. [University of Padua, Physics Dept., via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padua (Italy)

2009-09-15

The temperature dependence of the Young's modulus and of the internal friction (IF) has been investigated between 80 and 300 K at acoustical frequencies in the hexagonal (C14) Laves-phase TiCr{sub 1.78} charged with hydrogen. In this compound H occupies tetrahedral interstitial sites which are grouped in interlinked hexagons. A mechanical relaxation has been found at around 120 K (f = 5.4 kHz), which appears to be due to tunnelling transitions of delocalized H from one hexagon to the other. The rate of H absorption has been investigated at high temperature (660-1200 K) and the H diffusion coefficient has been derived from the pressure measurement as a function of time. A cumulative Arrhenius plot of IF and absorption diffusion data exhibits a non-exponential behaviour, which is due to a change in the diffusion mechanism from over-barrier hopping at high temperature to phonon-assisted tunnelling at low temperature.

Cerium compounds in the fashion of the light actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koelling, D.D.

1985-01-01

Researchers familiar with the light actinides easily recognize in cerium compounds a microcosm of the rich variety of properties seen in the light actinides. The parallelism seen between comparable cerium and actinide compounds strongly suggests that the same physical models are applicable. The most significant is the relative size of the f-orbital. Localization is generally tighter in Ce compounds than uranium compounds, making Ce roughly analogous to Np through Am. A way to see the actinide parallelism is to compare Hill plots. Compounds in the different regions of the plots (representing different physics) are isostructural compounds with the same companion (B) elements. The most common materials expected to exhibit direct f-f interaction are the cubic Laves compounds. Accordingly, we have determined the band structures of CeRu 2 , CeRh 2 , CeIr 2 , and CeNi 2 . Surprisingly, it was found that an f-d interaction overshadows any direct f-f interaction in these systems. Compounds illustrative of the interaction of f-orbitals with ''ligand'' orbitals are the Cu 3 Au structured materials. Materials calculated in this class are CeRh 3 , CePd 3 , and CeSn 3 - the materials of much interest as ''mixed valent''. Although the focus is on the Ce compounds, calculations performed on uranium isomorphs are used to highlight the interesting physics. (orig.)

DFT modeling of the electronic and magnetic structures and chemical bonding properties of intermetallic hydrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al Alam, A.F.

2009-06-01

This thesis presents an ab initio study of several classes of intermetallics and their hydrides. These compounds are interesting from both a fundamental and an applied points of view. To achieve this aim two complementary methods, constructed within the DFT, were chosen: (i) pseudo potential based VASP for geometry optimization, structural investigations and electron localization mapping (ELF), and (ii) all-electrons ASW method for a detailed description of the electronic structure, chemical bonding properties following different schemes as well as quantities depending on core electrons such as the hyperfine field. A special interest is given with respect to the interplay between magneto-volume and chemical interactions (metal-H) effects within the following hydrided systems: binary Laves (e.g. ScFe 2 ) and Haucke (e.g. LaNi 5 ) phases on one hand, and ternary cerium based (e.g. CeRhSn) and uranium based (e.g. U 2 Ni 2 Sn) alloys on the other hand. (author)

Evolution of Fe based intermetallic phases in Al–Si hypoeutectic casting alloys: Influence of the Si and Fe concentrations, and solidification rate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorny, Anton; Manickaraj, Jeyakumar; Cai, Zhonghou; Shankar, Sumanth

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Anomalous evolution of Fe based intermetallic phases in Al–Si–Fe alloys. •XRF coupled with nano-diffraction to confirm the nano-size Fe intermetallic phases. •Crystallography of the θ-Al 13 Fe 4 , τ 5 -Al 8 Fe 2 Si and τ 6 -Al 9 Fe 2 Si 2 phases. •Peritectic reactions involving the Fe intermetallic phases in Al–Si–Fe alloys. -- Abstract: Al–Si–Fe hypoeutectic cast alloy system is very complex and reported to produce numerous Fe based intermetallic phases in conjunction with Al and Si. This publication will address the anomalies of phase evolution in the Al–Si–Fe hypoeutectic casting alloy system; the anomaly lies in the peculiarities in the evolution and nature of the intermetallic phases when compared to the thermodynamic phase diagram predictions and past publications of the same. The influence of the following parameters, in various combinations, on the evolution and nature of the intermetallic phases were analyzed and reported: concentration of Si between 2 and 12.6 wt%, Fe between 0.05 and 0.5 wt% and solidification rates of 0.1, 1, 5 and 50 K s −1 . Two intermetallic phases are observed to evolve in these alloys under these solidification conditions: the τ 5 -Al 8 SiFe 2 and τ 6 -Al 9 Fe 2 Si 2 . The τ 5 -Al 8 SiFe 2 phase evolves at all levels of the parameters during solidification and subsequently transforms into the τ 6 -Al 9 Fe 2 Si 2 through a peritectic reaction when promoted by certain combinations of solidification parameters such as higher Fe level, lower Si level and slower solidification rates. Further, it is also hypothesized from experimental evidences that the θ-Al 13 Fe 4 binary phase precludes the evolution of the τ 5 during solidification and subsequently transforms into the τ 6 phase during solidification. These observations are anomalous to the publications as prior art and simulation predictions of thermodynamic phase diagrams of these alloys, wherein, only one intermetallic phases in the �

2. Intermetallic compounds with lanthanides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elemans, J.B.A.A.

1975-01-01

Theoretical considerations are given concerning the structures of intermetallic compounds of the lanthanides and thorium (R) on the one hand, and with Fe, Co or Ni (M) on the other. They all derive from the parent composition RM 5 with the CaCu 5 hexagonal structure. This consists of alternate layers in which the M atoms are distinguished as M 1 and M 2 . The other compounds whose structures are studied are obtained by systematic replacement of R by M, or vice versa. In the first type, every third R is replaced by two M's yielding R 2 M 17 compounds. The substitution may be truly random or structured in two ways: so that either the hexagonal structure is maintained or that it is converted into a rhombihedral one. In the second type, one M (in a M 1 position) out of every five is replaced by one R, giving rise to RM 2 compounds which form Laves phases. In the third type, the M 1 's are replaced by R's, resulting in compounds RM 3 . In the fourth type, every third M is replaced by R, yielding R 2 M 7 compounds. With M = Co and R a light lanthanide, the compounds are ferromagnets; with R yttrium, thorium, or a heavy lanthanide, they are ferrimagnets. The preparation of the compounds in an arc-melting apparatus under an Ar-atmosphere followed by annealing is described

NMR measurements in milled GdCo2 and GdFe2 intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tribuzy, C.V.B.; Guimaraes, A.P.; Biondo, A.; Larica, C.; Alves, K.M.B.

1998-12-01

We have used the nuclear magnetic resonance technique to study the magnetic and structural properties of the Gd-Co and Gd-Fe metallic systems, starting with the C15 laves phase intermetallic compounds, and submitting them to a high energy milling process. This leads to the amorphization of the samples, as determined by the X-ray diffraction spectra. For the Gd-Co system the NMR study used the 59 Co nucleus; in the Gd-Fe system, 155,157 Gd and 57 Fe were used. Both systems showed segregation of the pure elements, after a few hours of milling. In the Gd-Co system, a single line, of increasing width, was observed in the 59 Co spectrum. In the Gd-Fe system, the 155 Gd and 157 Gd resonances show three lines, arising from electrical quadrupole interaction. With increasing milling time, the lines broaden, and extra lines appear attributed to a cubic phase of Gd; this interpretation is supported by the X-ray analysis of the samples. The 57 Fe NMR spectrum of this system also informs on the direction of magnetization of the samples in the early stages of milling. From 1 h to 7 h of milling, a spectrum of α-Fe was observed. The study of the NMR line intensity as a function of radio frequency (r.f.) power in Gd Co 2 suggests the existence of regions of the samples with different degrees of disorder. We have observed the persistence of NMR signals from the original intermetallic compounds in the samples with up to 10 h and 7 h of milling, respectively, for Gd Co 2 and Gd Fe 2 . (author)

Sn and Ti influences on intermetallic phases damage in hot dip galvanizing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Di Cocco

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Protection against metallic materials corrosion is one of the most important means to reduce both maintenance costs and environmental impact. In the last years new studies on chemical baths compositions and fluxes have been performed in order to improve processes, corrosion resistance and mechanical behavior of Zn based coatings. Chemical bath composition is often improved by the Sn addition which increases the fluidity of the melt. Ti addition makes the coatings to change color under appropriate heat treatment. In this work a comparative microstructural analysis, in Zn-Sn and Zn-Ti coatings, is performed to evaluate intermetallic phases formation kinetics and the influence of intermetallic microstructure on coating damage under constant bending deformation.

New ternary intermetallics, based magnesium, for hydrogen storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roquefere, J.G.

2009-05-01

The use of fossil fuels (non-renewable energy) is responsible for increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Among the considered alternatives, hydrogen is seen as the most attractive energy vector. The storage in intermetallics makes it possible to obtain mass and volume capacities (e.g. 140 g/L) higher than those obtained by liquid form or under pressure (respectively 71 and 40 g/L). We have synthesised Mg and Rare Earth based compounds (RE = Y, Ce and Gd), derived from the cubic Laves phases AB2. Their physical and chemical properties have been studied (hydrogenation, electrochemistry, magnetism,...). The conditions of sorption (P and T) are particularly favorable (i.e. absorption at room temperature and atmospheric pressure). Besides, to improve the sorption kinetics of metallic magnesium, the compounds developed previously were used as catalysts. Thus, GdMgNi4 was milled with magnesium and the speeds of absorption and desorption of the mixture are found higher than those obtained for the composites Mg+Ni or Mg+V, which are reference systems. A theoretical approach (DFT) was used to model the electronic structure of the ternary compounds (i.e. REMgNi4) and thus to predict or confirm the experimental results. (authors)

Extraction of actinide and lanthanide complexonates in two-phase aqueous system potassium carbonate-polyethylene glycol-water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molochnikova, N.P.; Shkinev, V.M.; Spivakov, B.Ya.; Zolotov, Yu.A.; Myasoedov, B.F.

1988-01-01

Extraction system on the basis of polyethylene glycol for the concentration, isolation and separation of actinides is suggested. Extraction of actinides and lanthanides in two-phase aqueous system: potassium carbonate - polyethylene glycol - water in the presence of different complexones is investigated. Trivalent actinides are extracted quantitatively by polyethylene glycol from potassium carbonate solutions in the system with xylenol orange and alizarin-complexone. Under the conditions uranium (6) and plutonium (4) are extracted into the phase, enriched by polyethylene glycol, quite insignificantly, which permits to separate them from trivalent actinides with the separation factor of 10 2 - 10 3 . For actinide and lanthanide separation two complexones were introduced into the system, one of them being extractant, the other one - camouflaging reactant. The best results are obtained for the mixture of xylenol orange and hydroxyethylenediphosphonic acid. Separation coefficients for americium and europium constitute 4.5 - 5.6

Microstructural and wear characteristics of cobalt free, nickel base intermetallic alloy deposited by laser cladding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Awasthi, Reena; Kumar, Santosh; Viswanadham, C.S.; Srivastava, D.; Dey, G.K.; Limaye, P.K.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the microstructural and wear characteristics of Ni base intermetallic hardfacing alloy (Tribaloy-700) deposited on stainless steel-316 L substrate by laser cladding technique. Cobalt base hardfacing alloys have been most commonly used hardfacing alloys for application involving wear, corrosion and high temperature resistance. However, the high cost and scarcity of cobalt led to the development of cobalt free hardfacing alloys. Further, in the nuclear industry, the use of cobalt base alloys is limited due to the induced activity of long lived radioisotope 60 Co formed. These difficulties led to the development of various nickel and iron base alloys to replace cobalt base hardfacing alloys. In the present study Ni base intermetallic alloy, free of Cobalt was deposited on stainless steel- 316 L substrate by laser cladding technique. Traditionally, welding and thermal spraying are the most commonly employed hardfacing techniques. Laser cladding has been explored for the deposition of less diluted and fusion-bonded Nickel base clad layer on stainless steel substrate with a low heat input. The laser cladding parameters (Laser power density: 200 W/mm 2 , scanning speed: 430 mm/min, and powder feed rate: 14 gm/min) resulted in defect free clad with minimal dilution of the substrate. The microstructure of the clad layer was examined by Optical microscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, with energy dispersive spectroscopy. The phase analysis was performed by X-ray diffraction technique. The clad layer exhibited sharp substrate/clad interface in the order of planar, cellular, and dendritic from the interface upwards. Dilution of clad with Fe from substrate was very low passing from ∼ 15% at the interface (∼ 40 μm) to ∼ 6% in the clad layer. The clad layer was characterized by the presence of hexagonal closed packed (hcp, MgZn 2 type) intermetallic Laves phase dispersed in the eutectic of Laves and face centered cubic (fcc) gamma solid solution. The

Actinide gas-phase chemistry: Reactions of An+ and AnO+ [An = Th, U, Np, Pu, Am] with nitriles and butylamine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, J.K.

1999-01-01

Laser ablation with prompt reaction and detection was applied to study gas-phase reactions of actinide ions, An + and AnO + [An = Th, U, Pu, Np, Am], with nitriles and butylamine; Tb and Tm were included for comparison. Particular emphasis was on Np and Am as this is the region of the An series where a transition to Ln-like character is manifested. A goal was to assess the role of the coordinating N: site on actinide ion-molecule interactions. The results for the nitriles were generally reminiscent of those for reactions with alkenes and the inert character of Pu + and Am + with regard to dehydrogenation, despite adduct formation, indicated that Csingle bondH activation requires two non-5f electrons to produce a Csingle bondAn + single bondH complex. With the butyronitriles and valeronitrile, Am + produced AmC 2 H 4 + , possibly via an ion/dipole interaction. Most MO + exhibited only adduct formation with the nitriles although ThO + was distinctively reactive, consistent with a description of Th as a quasi-d-block element. Both Np + and Tb + were substantially effective at dehydrogenating butylamine and Am + exhibited a lesser degree of reactivity. Reactions of the MO + , TbO + , NpO + , and AmO + with butylamine revealed a dramatic effect of oxoligation: AmO + was at least as reactive as TbO + and NpO + . It is postulated that the MO + reactions proceeded via a multicentered intermediate without insertion into a C-H bond. Bis-complexes were produced with nitriles and butylamine, attesting to strong complexation with the :N functionality. An ancillary discovery was Am 2 ± An dimers/clusters should elucidate the nature of actinide intermetallic bonding, including the role of 5f electrons

Effect of intermetallic phases on the anodic oxidation and corrosion of 5A06 aluminum alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Song-mei; Li, Ying-dong; Zhang, You; Liu, Jian-hua; Yu, Mei

2015-02-01

Intermetallic phases were found to influence the anodic oxidation and corrosion behavior of 5A06 aluminum alloy. Scattered intermetallic particles were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) after pretreatment. The anodic film was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and its corrosion resistance was analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel polarization in NaCl solution. The results show that the size of Al-Fe-Mg-Mn particles gradually decreases with the iron content. During anodizing, these intermetallic particles are gradually dissolved, leading to the complex porosity in the anodic film beneath the particles. After anodizing, the residual particles are mainly silicon-containing phases, which are embedded in the anodic film. Electrochemical measurements indicate that the porous anodic film layer is easily penetrated, and the barrier plays a dominant role in the overall protection. Meanwhile, self-healing behavior is observed during the long immersion time.

Evolution of Fe based intermetallic phases in Al–Si hypoeutectic casting alloys: Influence of the Si and Fe concentrations, and solidification rate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorny, Anton; Manickaraj, Jeyakumar [Light Metal Casting Research Centre (LMCRC), Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L7 (Canada); Cai, Zhonghou [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439 (United States); Shankar, Sumanth, E-mail: shankar@mcmaster.ca [Light Metal Casting Research Centre (LMCRC), Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L7 (Canada)

2013-11-15

Highlights: •Anomalous evolution of Fe based intermetallic phases in Al–Si–Fe alloys. •XRF coupled with nano-diffraction to confirm the nano-size Fe intermetallic phases. •Crystallography of the θ-Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4}, τ{sub 5}-Al{sub 8}Fe{sub 2}Si and τ{sub 6}-Al{sub 9}Fe{sub 2}Si{sub 2} phases. •Peritectic reactions involving the Fe intermetallic phases in Al–Si–Fe alloys. -- Abstract: Al–Si–Fe hypoeutectic cast alloy system is very complex and reported to produce numerous Fe based intermetallic phases in conjunction with Al and Si. This publication will address the anomalies of phase evolution in the Al–Si–Fe hypoeutectic casting alloy system; the anomaly lies in the peculiarities in the evolution and nature of the intermetallic phases when compared to the thermodynamic phase diagram predictions and past publications of the same. The influence of the following parameters, in various combinations, on the evolution and nature of the intermetallic phases were analyzed and reported: concentration of Si between 2 and 12.6 wt%, Fe between 0.05 and 0.5 wt% and solidification rates of 0.1, 1, 5 and 50 K s{sup −1}. Two intermetallic phases are observed to evolve in these alloys under these solidification conditions: the τ{sub 5}-Al{sub 8}SiFe{sub 2} and τ{sub 6}-Al{sub 9}Fe{sub 2}Si{sub 2}. The τ{sub 5}-Al{sub 8}SiFe{sub 2} phase evolves at all levels of the parameters during solidification and subsequently transforms into the τ{sub 6}-Al{sub 9}Fe{sub 2}Si{sub 2} through a peritectic reaction when promoted by certain combinations of solidification parameters such as higher Fe level, lower Si level and slower solidification rates. Further, it is also hypothesized from experimental evidences that the θ-Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} binary phase precludes the evolution of the τ{sub 5} during solidification and subsequently transforms into the τ{sub 6} phase during solidification. These observations are anomalous to the publications as prior art and

Production and characterization of monocrystals of the cubic Laves phases Se-Al2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beyss, M.; Uelhoff, W.; Fattah, A.

1977-04-01

The monocrystals of the cubic Laves phases Se-Al 2 have been produced for special measurements. Low-temperature anomalies were measured which were influenced by doping with foreign atoms. These anomalies, also called Kondo effect, were detected in some physical quantities like electric resistance, magnetic resistance, susceptibility, magnetization, specific heat, thermal conductivity and thermoelectric force. For diffuse magnetic neutron scattering, monocrystals with the dimensions 10 mm diameter and 70 mm length were produced. The materials used were La Al 2 , (La Ce) Al 2 , Ce Al 2 , Y Al 2 , and (Y Ce) Al 2 . The monocrystals had to have an exactly cylindrical cross-section which was obtained by stripping by means of spark erosion machines. The measurements were carried out at the reactor of the Laue-Langevin Institute at Grenoble. In the experiments the magnetic behavior was measured by neutron scattering on monocrystals in the temperature range from 2.5 K to 300 K, the energy spectra having been registered. (orig.) [de

Fe-Zn intermetallic phases prepared by diffusion annealing and spark-plasma sintering

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Pokorný, P.; Cinert, Jakub; Pala, Zdeněk

2016-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 2 (2016), s. 253-256 ISSN 1580-2949 R&D Projects: GA ČR GB14-36566G Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Fe-Zn intermetallics * spark-plasma sintering * diffusion annealing * phase composition * hardness Subject RIV: JK - Corrosion ; Surface Treatment of Materials Impact factor: 0.436, year: 2016

Collapse of the magnetic moment under pressure of AFe{sub 2} (A=Y, Zr, Lu and Hf) in the cubic Laves phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Wenxu, E-mail: xwzhang@uestc.edu.cn; Zhang, Wanli

2016-04-15

The electronic structures of four Laves phase iron compounds (e.g. YFe{sub 2}, ZrFe{sub 2}, LuFe{sub 2} and HfFe{sub 2}) have been calculated with a state-of-the-art full potential electronic structure code. Our theoretical work predicted that the magnetic moments collapse under hydrostatic pressure. This feature is found to be universal in these materials. Its electronic origin is provided by the sharp peaks in the density of states near the Fermi level. It is shown that a first order quantum phase transition can be expected under pressure in Y(Zr, or Lu)Fe{sub 2}, while a second order one in HfFe{sub 2}. The bonding characteristics are discussed to elucidate the equilibrium lattice constant variation. The large spontaneous volume magnetostriction gives one of the most important characteristics of these compounds. Invar anomalies in these compounds can be partly explained by the current work when the fast continuous magnetic moment decrease with the decrease of the lattice constant was properly considered. This work may be as a first insight into the rich world of quantum phase transition and Invar mechanism in these Laves phase compounds. - Highlights: • Magnetic moment of YFe{sub 2}, ZrFe{sub 2}, LuFe{sub 2} and HfFe{sub 2} collapses under pressure. • The transition in Y(Zr or Lu) Fe{sub 2} under pressure is first order. • The transition in HfFe{sub 2} under pressure is second order. • The Invar effects in the compounds can be put into the magnetostriction model.

Structural electronic and mechanical properties of YM2 (M=Mn, Fe, Co) laves phase compounds: First principle calculations analyzed with datamining approach

Science.gov (United States)

Saidi, F.; Sebaa, N.; Mahmoudi, A.; Aourag, H.; Merad, G.; Dergal, M.

2018-06-01

We performed first-principle calculations to investigate structural, phase stability, electronic and mechanical properties for the Laves phases YM2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co) with C15, C14 and C36 structures. We used the density functional theory within the framework of both pseudo-potentials and plane wave basis using VASP (Vienna Ab Initio Software Package). The calculated equilibrium structural parameters are in accordance with available theoretical values. Mechanical properties were calculated, discussed, and analyzed with data mining approach in terms of structure stability. The results reveal that YCo2 is harder than YFe2 and YMn2.

Management of actinide waste inventories in nuclear phase-out scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cometto, M.; Wydler, P.; Chawla, R.

2008-01-01

The improvement of the 'radiological cleanliness' of nuclear energy is a primary goal in the development of advanced reactors and fuel cycles. The multiple recycling of actinides in advanced nuclear systems with fast neutron spectra represents a key option for reducing the potential hazard from high-level waste, especially when the fuel cycle is fully closed. Such strategies, however, involve large inventories of radiotoxic, transuranic (TRU) nuclides in the nuclear park, both in-pile and out-of-pile. The management of these inventories with the help of actinide burners is likely to become an important issue, if nuclear energy systems are eventually phased out, i.e. replaced by other types of energy systems. The present paper compares phase-out scenarios for two transmutation strategies involving fast reactors (FRs) and accelerator-driven systems (ADSs), respectively, operating in symbiosis with conventional light water reactors (LWRs). Particular objectives are to evaluate and compare the TRU reduction performance of the systems as a function of the phase-out time and to determine the appropriate phase-out length for different phase-out criteria. In this connection, an interesting aspect concerns the continuous optimisation of the fuel cycle to counterbalance the reactivity decrease due to the depletion of the fissile isotopes in the fuel. It will be shown that both FRs and ADSs can achieve the goal, provided that the phase-out operation can be continued for about a hundred years

Influence of the ion implantation on the nanoscale intermetallic phases formation in Ni-Ti system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalashnikov, M.P.; Kurzina, I.A.; Bozhko, I.A.; Kozlov, E.V.; Fortuna, S.V.; Sivin, D.O.; Stepanov, I.B.; Sharkeev, Yu.P.

2005-01-01

Full text: The ion implantation at a high intensity mode is an effective method for modification of the surface properties of metals and alloys. Improvement of mechanical and tribological properties of irradiated materials using the high intensity implantation is connected with an element composition and microstructure modification of the surface and subsurface layers. One shows a great interest in intermetallic phase's synthesis by ion implantation, because of unique physical-mechanical properties of the intermetallic compounds. The influence of the irradiation conditions on the structural state and surface properties of implanted materials is not clear enough. The study of the factors influencing on the formation of the surface ion - alloyed layers of metal targets having the high tribological and mechanical properties by high intensity ion implantation is actual. The aim of the present work is a study of the microstructure, phase composition, physical and mechanical properties of the ion-alloyed Ni surfaces formed at high intensity implantation of Ti ions. The implantation Ti ions into Ni samples at high intensity mode was realized using ion source 'Raduga - 5'. The implantation Ti ions into Ni was carried out at accelerating voltage 20 kV for 2 h. The regimes were differed in the samples temperature (580 - 700 K), the distance from the ion implanted samples to the ion source (0.43-0.93 m) and the dose of irradiated ions (0.3·10 18 -2.9·10 18 ion/cm -2 ). The element composition of the implanted samples was analyzed by the electron spectroscopy. The structural-phase state of the Ni ion-modified layers was investigated by the transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. Additionally, the investigation of mechanical and tribological properties of the implanted Ni samples was carried out. It was established that the maximum thickness of the ion-alloyed nickel layers at high intensity mode allows forming the nanoscale intermetallic phases (Ni

Phase stability, electronic, elastic and thermodynamic properties of Al-RE intermetallics in Mg-Al-RE alloy: A first principles study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.L. Chen

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Electronic structure and elastic properties of Al2Y, Al3Y, Al2Gd and Al3Gd phases were investigated by means of first-principles calculations from CASTEP program based on density functional theory (DFT. The ground state energy and elastic constants of each phase were calculated, the formation enthalpy (ΔH, bulk modulus (B, shear modulus (G, Young's modulus (E, Poisson's ratio (ν and anisotropic coefficient (A were derived. The formation enthalpy shows that Al2RE is more stable than Al3RE, and Al-Y intermetallics have stronger phase stability than Al-Gd intermetallics. The calculated mechanical properties indicate that all these four intermetallics are strong and hard brittle phases, it may lead to the similar performance when deforming due to their similar elastic constants. The total and partial electron density of states (DOS, Mulliken population and metallicity were calculated to analyze the electron structure and bonding characteristics of the phases. Finally, phonon calculation was conducted, and the thermodynamic properties were obtained and further discussed.

Iron Intermetallic Phases in the Alloy Based on Al-Si-Mg by Applying Manganese

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Podprocká R.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Manganese is an effective element used for the modification of needle intermetallic phases in Al-Si alloy. These particles seriously degrade mechanical characteristics of the alloy and promote the formation of porosity. By adding manganese the particles are being excluded in more compact shape of “Chinese script” or skeletal form, which are less initiative to cracks as Al5FeSi phase. In the present article, AlSi7Mg0.3 aluminium foundry alloy with several manganese content were studied. The alloy was controlled pollution for achieve higher iron content (about 0.7 wt. % Fe. The manganese were added in amount of 0.2 wt. %, 0.6 wt. %, 1.0 wt. % and 1.4 wt. %. The influence of the alloying element on the process of crystallization of intermetallic phases were compared to microstructural observations. The results indicate that increasing manganese content (> 0.2 wt. % Mn lead to increase the temperature of solidification iron rich phase (TAl5FeSi and reduction this particles. The temperature of nucleation Al-Si eutectic increase with higher manganese content also. At adding 1.4 wt. % Mn grain refinement and skeleton particles were observed.

Low-temperature thermal expansion of metastable intermetallic Fe-Cr phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorbunoff, A.; Levin, A.A.; Meyer, D.C.

2009-01-01

The thermal expansion coefficients (TEC) of metastable disordered intermetallic Fe-Cr phases formed in thin Fe-Cr alloy films prepared by an extremely non-equilibrium method of the pulsed laser deposition are studied. The lattice parameters of the alloys calculated from the low-temperature wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD) patterns show linear temperature dependencies in the temperature range 143-293 K and a deviation from the linearity at lower temperatures. The linear thermal expansion coefficients determined from the slopes of the linear portions of the temperature-lattice parameter dependencies differ significantly from phase to phase and from the values expected for the body-centered cubic (b.c.c.) Fe 1-x Cr x solid solutions. Strain-crystallite size analysis of the samples is performed. Predictions about the Debye temperature and the mechanical properties of the alloys are made.

Identification of intermetallic phases in a eutectic Al-Si casting alloy using electron backscatter diffraction pattern analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kral, M.V.; McIntyre, H.R.; Smillie, M.J.

2004-01-01

Intermetallic phases in sand cast eutectic Al-Si alloys were characterized using a combination of SEM, EDS and EBSD pattern analysis. Chinese script α-phase particles were consistent with cubic Al 19 (Fe,Mn) 5 Si 2 . Plate-shaped β-phase particles were consistent with tetragonal Al 3 (Fe,Mn)Si 2

Fe-moment instability in Ti{sub 1-x}Sc{sub x}Fe{sub 2} Laves-phase compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ouladdiaf, B. [Institut Laue-Langevin, BP 156, 38042 GRENOBLE Cedex 09 (France); Deportes, J. [Lab. Louis Neel, CNRS, BP 166, 38042 GRENOBLE Cedex 09 (France); Saoudi, M. [Centre Universitaire de Guelma, GUELMA 24 000 (Algeria)

2002-07-01

The magnetic properties of the pseudo-binary Laves-phase compounds Ti{sub 1-x}Sc{sub x}Fe{sub 2} were investigated by means of magnetisation and high-resolution powder neutron diffraction techniques. For x<0.2 a transition from an antiferromagnetic state to a canted one with a ferromagnetic component in the basal plane is observed, while for 0.2

Prediction of intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkhanov, Gennady S; Kiselyova, N N

2009-01-01

The problems of predicting not yet synthesized intermetallic compounds are discussed. It is noted that the use of classical physicochemical analysis in the study of multicomponent metallic systems is faced with the complexity of presenting multidimensional phase diagrams. One way of predicting new intermetallics with specified properties is the use of modern processing technology with application of teaching of image recognition by the computer. The algorithms used most often in these methods are briefly considered and the efficiency of their use for predicting new compounds is demonstrated.

Effect of grain refiner on intermetallic phase formation in directional solidification of 6xxx series wrought Al alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sha, G.; O' Reilly, K.; Cantor, B. [Oxford Univ. (United Kingdom). Centre for Adv. Mat. and Composites; Hamerton, R.; Worth, J.

2000-07-01

The effect of a grain refiner on the formation of intermetallic phases in a directionally solidified (Bridgman grown) model 6xxx series wrought Al alloy has been investigated using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). A base alloy with and without Al-Ti-B grain refiner was directionally solidified in a Bridgman furnace at growth velocities in the range of 5-120 mm/min. In both cases, the Fe-containing intermetallic phases present were found to be mainly {alpha}-AlFeSi and {beta}-AlFeSi. However, in the alloy with grain refiner solidified at 5mm/min, Al{sub 13}Fe{sub 4} was also observed. Quantitative XRD results indicated that the addition of Al-Ti-B grain refiner has a strong influence on the relative quantities of intermetallic phases forming during solidification at different growth velocities, which was also confirmed by TEM observations. TEM observations also show that depending on where the {beta}-AlFeSi particles solidified e.g. grain boundaries or triple grain junctions, the size and morphology of the particles may change dramatically. TiB{sub 2} particles were observed to nucleate {beta}-AlFeSi at low and high growth velocities in the 6xxx series Al alloys. (orig.)

TUCS/phosphate mineralization of actinides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nash, K.L. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)

1997-10-01

This program has as its objective the development of a new technology that combines cation exchange and mineralization to reduce the concentration of heavy metals (in particular actinides) in groundwaters. The treatment regimen must be compatible with the groundwater and soil, potentially using groundwater/soil components to aid in the immobilization process. The delivery system (probably a water-soluble chelating agent) should first concentrate the radionuclides then release the precipitating anion, which forms thermodynamically stable mineral phases, either with the target metal ions alone or in combination with matrix cations. This approach should generate thermodynamically stable mineral phases resistant to weathering. The chelating agent should decompose spontaneously with time, release the mineralizing agent, and leave a residue that does not interfere with mineral formation. For the actinides, the ideal compound probably will release phosphate, as actinide phosphate mineral phases are among the least soluble species for these metals. The most promising means of delivering the precipitant would be to use a water-soluble, hydrolytically unstable complexant that functions in the initial stages as a cation exchanger to concentrate the metal ions. As it decomposes, the chelating agent releases phosphate to foster formation of crystalline mineral phases. Because it involves only the application of inexpensive reagents, the method of phosphate mineralization promises to be an economical alternative for in situ immobilization of radionuclides (actinides in particular). The method relies on the inherent (thermodynamic) stability of actinide mineral phases.

Zirconium intermetallics and hydrogen uptake during corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, B.

1987-04-01

The routes by which hydrogen can enter zirconium alloys containing second phase particles during corrosion are discussed. Both direct diffusion through the bulk of the oxide film, and migration through second phase particles that intersect the surface are considered. An examination of results for hydrogen uptake by zirconium alloys during the early stages of oxidation, when the oxide film is still coherent, suggests that for Zr, Zr-1%Cu and Zr-1%Fe the hydrogen enters by diffusing through the bulk ZrO 2 film, whereas for the Zircaloys the primary migration route may be through the intermetallics. The steps in the latter process are discussed and the evidence available on the properties of the intermetallics collated. A comparison of these data with results for hydrogen uptake by two series of ternary alloys (Zr-1%Nb - 1%X, Zr-1%Cu - 1%X) suggests that high hydrogen uptakes often correlate with intermetallics with high hydrogen solubilities and vice versa. The properties of Zr(Fe/Cr) 2+x intermetallics are examined in an attempt to understand the behaviour of the Zircaloys, and it is concluded that present data establishing composition and unit cell dimensions for such intermetallic particles are not of sufficient accuracy to permit a correlation

Multiscale modeling of the influence of Fe content in a Al-Si-Cu alloy on the size distribution of intermetallic phases and micropores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Junsheng; Lee, Peter D.; Li Mei; Allison, John

2010-01-01

A multiscale model was developed to simulate the formation of Fe-rich intermetallics and pores in quaternary Al-Si-Cu-Fe alloys. At the microscale, the multicomponent diffusion equations were solved for multiphase (liquid-solid-gas) materials via a finite difference framework to predict microstructure formation. A fast and robust decentered plate algorithm was developed to simulate the strong anisotropy of the solid/liquid interfacial energy for the Fe-rich intermetallic phase. The growth of porosity was controlled by local pressure drop due to solidification and interactions with surrounding solid phases, in addition to hydrogen diffusion. The microscale model was implemented as a subroutine in a commercial finite element package, producing a coupled multiscale model. This allows the influence of varying casting conditions on the Fe-rich intermetallics, the pores, and their interactions to be predicted. Synchrotron x-ray tomography experiments were performed to validate the model by comparing the three-dimensional morphology and size distribution of Fe-rich intermetallics as a function of Fe content. Large platelike Fe-rich β intermetallics were successfully simulated by the multiscale model and their influence on pore size distribution in shape castings was predicted as a function of casting conditions.

On the magnetism of the C14 Nb0.975Fe2.025 Laves phase compound: Determination of the H-T phase diagram

Science.gov (United States)

Bałanda, Maria; Dubiel, Stanisław M.

2018-05-01

A C14 Nb0.975Fe2.025 Laves phase compound was investigated aimed at determining the H-T magnetic phase diagram. Magnetization, M, and AC magnetic susceptibility measurement were performed. Concerning the former field-cooled and zero-field-cooled M-curves were recorded in the temperature range of 2-200 K and in applied magnetic field, H, up to 1000 Oe, isothermal M(H) curves at 2 K, 5 K, 50 K, 80 K and 110 K as well as hysteresis loops at several temperatures over the field range of ±10 kOe were measured. Regarding the AC susceptibility, χ, both real and imaginary components were registered as a function of increasing temperature in the interval of 2 K-150 K at the frequencies of the oscillating field, f, from 3 Hz up to 999 Hz. An influence of the external DC magnetic field on the temperature dependence of χ was investigated, too. The measurements clearly demonstrated that the magnetism of the studied sample is weak, itinerant and has a reentrant character. Based on the obtained results a magnetic phase diagram has been constructed in the H-T coordinates.

Chemical Frustration. A Design Principle for the Discovery of New Complex Alloy and Intermetallic Phases, Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fredrickson, Daniel C [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2015-06-23

Final technical report for "Chemical Frustration: A Design Principle for the Discovery of New Complex Alloy and Intermetallic Phases" funded by the Office of Science through the Materials Chemistry Program of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences.

Structural, elastic and electronic properties of C14-type Al{sub 2}M (M=Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) Laves phases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lishi, Ma; Yonghua, Duan, E-mail: duanyh@kmust.edu.cn; Runyue, Li

2017-02-15

The structural and mechanical properties, Debye temperatures and anisotropic sound velocities of the Laves phases Al{sub 2}M (M=Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) with C14-type structure were investigated using the first-principles corresponding calculations. The corresponding calculated structural parameters and formation enthalpies are in good agreement with the available theoretical values, and Al{sub 2}Ca has the best phase stability. The mechanical properties, including elastic constants, bulk modulus B, shear modulus G, Young’s modulus E, and Poisson ratio ν, were deduced within the Voigt-Reuss-Hill approximation. The brittleness and ductility were estimated by the values of Poisson ratio, B/G and Cauchy pressure. Moreover, the elastic anisotropy was investigated by calculating and discussing several anisotropy indexes. Finally, the electronic structures were used to illustrate the bonding characteristics of C14-Al{sub 2}M (M=Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba) phases.

Managing Zirconium Chemistry and Phase Compatibility in Combined Process Separations for Minor Actinide Partitioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wall, Nathalie [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Nash, Ken [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Martin, Leigh [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States)

2017-03-17

In response to the NEUP Program Supporting Fuel Cycle R&D Separations and Waste Forms call DEFOA- 0000799, this report describes the results of an R&D project focusing on streamlining separation processes for advanced fuel cycles. An example of such a process relevant to the U.S. DOE FCR&D program would be one combining the functions of the TRUEX process for partitioning of lanthanides and minor actinides from PUREX(UREX) raffinates with that of the TALSPEAK process for separating transplutonium actinides from fission product lanthanides. A fully-developed PUREX(UREX)/TRUEX/TALSPEAK suite would generate actinides as product(s) for reuse (or transmutation) and fission products as waste. As standalone, consecutive unit-operations, TRUEX and TALSPEAK employ different extractant solutions (solvating (CMPO, octyl(phenyl)-N,Ndiisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide) vs. cation exchanging (HDEHP, di-2(ethyl)hexylphosphoric acid) extractants), and distinct aqueous phases (2-4 M HNO₃ vs. concentrated pH 3.5 carboxylic acid buffers containing actinide selective chelating agents). The separate processes may also operate with different phase transfer kinetic constraints. Experience teaches (and it has been demonstrated at the lab scale) that, with proper control, multiple process separation systems can operate successfully. However, it is also recognized that considerable economies of scale could be achieved if multiple operations could be merged into a single process based on a combined extractant solvent. The task of accountability of nuclear materials through the process(es) also becomes more robust with fewer steps, providing that the processes can be accurately modeled. Work is underway in the U.S. and Europe on developing several new options for combined processes (TRUSPEAK, ALSEP, SANEX, GANEX, ExAm are examples). There are unique challenges associated with the operation of such processes, some relating to organic phase chemistry, others arising from the

Application of mechanical alloying to synthesis of intermetallic phases based alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dymek, S.

2001-01-01

Mechanical alloying is the process of synthesis of powder materials during milling in high energetic mills, usually ball mills. The central event in mechanical alloying is the ball-powder-ball collision. Powder particles are trapped between the colliding balls during milling and undergo deformation and/or fracture. Fractured parts are cold welded. The continued fracture and cold welding results in a uniform size and chemical composition of powder particles. The main applications of mechanical alloying are: processing of ODS alloys, syntheses of intermetallic phases, synthesis of nonequilibrium structures (amorphous alloys, extended solid solutions, nanocrystalline, quasi crystals) and magnetic materials. The present paper deals with application of mechanical alloying to synthesis Ni A l base intermetallic phases as well as phases from the Nb-Al binary system. The alloy were processed from elemental powders. The course of milling was monitored by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. After milling, the collected powders were sieved by 45 μm grid and hot pressed (Nb alloys and NiAl) or hot extruded (NiAl). The resulting material was fully dense and exhibited fine grain (< 1 μm) and uniform distribution of oxide dispersoid. The consolidated material was compression and creep tested. The mechanical properties of mechanically alloys were superior to properties of their cast counterparts both in the room and elevated temperatures. Higher strength of mechanically alloyed materials results from their fine grains and from the presence of dispersoid. At elevated temperatures, the Nb-Al alloys have higher compression strength than NiAl-based alloys processed at the same conditions. The minimum creep rates of mechanically alloyed Nb alloys are an order of magnitude lower than analogously processed NiAl-base alloys. (author)

Fracture and fatigue considerations in the development of ductile-phase reinforced intermetallic-matrix composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkateswara Rao, K.T.; Ritchie, R.O.

1994-01-01

The salient microstructural factors influencing fracture and fatigue-crack growth resistance of ductile-particle reinforced intermetallic-matrix composites at ambient temperature are reviewed through examples from the Nb/MoSi 2 , TiNb/TiAl, Nb/TiAl and Nb/Nb 3 Al systems; specific emphasis is placed on properties and morphology of the reinforcement and its interfacial properties with the matrix. It is shown that composites must be fabricated with a high aspect ratio ductile-reinforcement morphology in order to promote crack-particle interception and resultant crack bridging for improved fracture and fatigue properties. Concurrently, however, the ductile phases have contrasting effects on crack growth under monotonic vs. cyclic loading suggesting that composite microstructures tailored for optimal toughness may not necessarily yield optimal fatigue resistance. Perspectives for the future development of damage-tolerant intermetallic-composite microstructures are discussed

Amorphous phase formation in intermetallic Mg2Ni alloy synthesized by ethanol wet milling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, H.-W.; Chyou, S.-D.; Wang, S.-H.; Yang, M.-W.; Hsu, C.-Y.; Tien, H.-C.; Huang, N.-N.

2009-01-01

The hydriding/dehydriding properties of an intermetallic Mg 2 Ni alloy synthesized by wet ball milling in ethanol have been investigated. The appearance of the particle surface after different milling methods is one obvious difference. The alloyed powders prepared by either dry milling or wet milling under ethanol were characterized for phase content by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The results show that two broad diffuse peaks, which are an ionic-organic-Mg amorphous material, appear in addition to the nickel element peaks. This unexpected amorphous phase has the special hydrogen absorbing/desorbing features.

Effects of iron on intermetallic compound formation in scandium modified Al–Si–Mg Alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Patakham, Ussadawut [National Metal and Materials Technology Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency, 114 Thailand Science Park, Klong Nueng, Klong Luang, Pathumthani 12120 (Thailand); Limmaneevichitr, Chaowalit, E-mail: chaowalit.lim@mail.kmutt.ac.th [Production Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, 126 Pracha-Utid Rd., Bangmod, Tungkhru, Bangkok 10140 (Thailand)

2014-12-15

Highlights: • Iron reduces the modification effects of scandium in Al–Si–Mg alloys. • Morphologies of Sc-rich intermetallic phases vary with Fe and Sc contents and the cooling rates. • Sc neutralizes effects of Fe by changing Fe-rich intermetallic phases from platelets to more cubic. - Abstract: In general, iron has a strong tendency to dissolve in molten aluminum. Iron has very low solid solubility in aluminum–silicon casting alloys, so it will form intermetallic compounds that cause detrimental effects on mechanical properties. In this work, the effects of iron on intermetallic compound formations in scandium modified Al–Si–Mg alloys were studied. There were two levels of iron addition (0.2 and 0.4 wt.%) and two levels of scandium addition (0.2 and 0.4 wt.%). We found that the effects of scandium modification decreased with increasing iron addition. The morphologies of the complex intermetallic compounds were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques. It was found that scandium changes the morphology of Fe-rich intermetallic compounds from β-phase (plate-like) to α-phase, which reduces the harmful effects of β-phase.

Influence of hydrogen absorption on magnetic ordering in some zirconium-based Laves phase compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, H.; Pourarian, F.; Wallace, W.E.

1982-01-01

Magnetization measurements were carried out on several zirconium-based hexagonal Laves phase compounds, i.e. the ZrMnsub(2+delta), (Zr,Ti)Mn 2 , Zr(Mn,Fe) 2 and Zr(Fe,Al) 2 systems and their hydrides. The absorbed hydrogen leads to a large increase (20%-30%) in volume without a change in the crystal structure. ZrMnsub(2+delta) is a weak Pauli paramagnet but becomes a spin glass near-ferromagnet by hydriding, indicating that the manganese moments are subjected to competing ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic coupling tendencies. In the (Zrsub(1-x)Tisub(x))Mn 2 hydrides, ferromagnetic, spin-glass-like, ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic behaviors appear at 4.2 K in the sequence of increasing x and/or decrease in hydrogen concentration. In the Zr(Mn,Fe) 2 system, the hydrogen absorption increases both the magnetic moments and the magnetic transition temperatures, while absorbed hydrogen leads to suppression of ferromagnetism in the Zr(Fe,Al) 2 system. These varied and complex magnetic behaviors are attributed to the effects of (1) variations in the interatomic distances, (2) changes in the 3d electron concentration and (3) varying local hydrogen concentrations occurring as a result of statistical fluctuations. (Auth.)

Experimental formation enthalpies for intermetallic phases and other inorganic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, George; Meschel, S. V.; Nash, Philip; Chen, Wei

2017-01-01

The standard enthalpy of formation of a compound is the energy associated with the reaction to form the compound from its component elements. The standard enthalpy of formation is a fundamental thermodynamic property that determines its phase stability, which can be coupled with other thermodynamic data to calculate phase diagrams. Calorimetry provides the only direct method by which the standard enthalpy of formation is experimentally measured. However, the measurement is often a time and energy intensive process. We present a dataset of enthalpies of formation measured by high-temperature calorimetry. The phases measured in this dataset include intermetallic compounds with transition metal and rare-earth elements, metal borides, metal carbides, and metallic silicides. These measurements were collected from over 50 years of calorimetric experiments. The dataset contains 1,276 entries on experimental enthalpy of formation values and structural information. Most of the entries are for binary compounds but ternary and quaternary compounds are being added as they become available. The dataset also contains predictions of enthalpy of formation from first-principles calculations for comparison. PMID:29064466

Magnetic-field induced phase transitions in intermetallic rare-earth ferrimagnets with a compensation point

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sabdenov, Ch.K.; Davydova, M.D.; Zvezdin, K.A.; Gorbunov, Denis; Tereshina, I. S.; Andreev, Alexander V.; Zvezdin, A. K.

2017-01-01

Roč. 43, č. 5 (2017), s. 551-558 ISSN 1063-777X R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-03593S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : rare-earth intermetallics * phase diagram * field-induced transition * magnetic anisotropy * high magnetic fields Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 0.804, year: 2016

The Role of Second Phase Intermetallic Particles on the Spall Failure of 5083 Aluminum

Science.gov (United States)

2016-12-01

Bradley Survice Engineering Company, Aberdeen, MD A reprint from Journal of Dynamic Behavior of Materials. 2016;2:476–483...Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD, USA 2 Survice Engineering Company, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, MD, USA 123 J...2016) 2:476–483 479 123 ligaments between cracks and a second phase intermetallic particle (identified by black arrow) above the crack with an average

A review of the potential of photoacoustic and photothermal spectroscopy for the characterisation of actinide solid phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liezers, M.; McMillan, J.W.; Pollard, P.M.

1988-09-01

As the solid actinide compounds encountered in radioactive wastes have widely differing aqueous solubilities, methods are required to determine their composition. Analytical methods with the potential to characterise solid actinide compounds in equilibrium with an aqueous phase are reviewed. 'Direct', essentially non-invasive methods were sought. The most promising were identified as photoacoustic and photothermal spectroscopies. A programme is suggested for their study and exploitation. (author)

Phase transition of intermetallic TbPt at high temperature and high pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Qin, Fei; Wu, Xiang; Yang, Ke; Qin, Shan

2018-04-01

Here we present synchrotron-based x-ray diffraction experiments combined with diamond anvil cell and laser heating techniques on the intermetallic rare earth compound TbPt (Pnma and Z  =  4) up to 32.5 GPa and ~1800 K. The lattice parameters of TbPt exhibit continuous compression behavior up to 18.2 GPa without any evidence of phase transformation. Pressure-volume data were fitted to a third-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state with V 0  =  175.5(2) Å3, {{K}{{T0}}}   =  110(5) GPa and K{{T0}}\\prime   =  3.8(7). TbPt exhibits anisotropic compression with β a   >  β b   >  β c and the ratio of axial compressibility is 2.50:1.26:1.00. A new monoclinic phase of TbPt assigned to the Pc or P2/c space group was observed at 32.5 GPa after laser heating at ~1800 K. This new phase is stable at high pressure and presented a quenchable property on decompression to ambient conditions. The pressure-volume relationship is well described by the second-order Birch-Murnaghan equation of state, which yields V 0  =  672(4) Å3, {{K}{{T0}}}   =  123(6) GPa, which is about ~14% more compressible than the orthorhombic TbPt. Our results provide more information on the structure and elastic property view, and thus a better understanding of the physical properties related to magnetic structure in some intermetallic rare earth alloys.

The Effect of Boron and Zirconium on the Structure and Tensile Properties of the Cast Nickel-Based Superalloy ATI 718Plus

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Seyed Ali; Abbasi, Seyed Mehdi; Madar, Karim Zangeneh

2018-04-01

The effects of boron and zirconium on cast structure, hardness, and tensile properties of the nickel-based superalloy 718Plus were investigated. For this purpose, five alloys with different contents of boron and zirconium were cast via vacuum induction melting and then purified via vacuum arc remelting. Microstructural analysis by light-optical microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and phase studies by x-ray diffraction analysis were performed. The results showed that boron and zirconium tend to significantly reduce dendritic arm spacing and increase the amount of Laves, Laves/gamma eutectic, and carbide phases. It was also found that boron led to the formation of B4C and (Cr, Fe, Mo, Ni, Ti)3B2 phases and zirconium led to the formation of intermetallic phases and ZrC carbide. In the presence of boron and zirconium, the hardness and its difference between dendritic branches and inter-dendritic spaces increased by concentrating such phases as Laves in the inter-dendritic spaces. These elements had a negative effect on tensile properties of the alloy, including ductility and strength, mainly because of the increase in the Laves phase. It should be noted that the largest degradation of the tensile properties occurred in the alloys containing the maximum amount of zirconium.

Nuclear waste forms for actinides

Science.gov (United States)

Ewing, Rodney C.

1999-01-01

The disposition of actinides, most recently 239Pu from dismantled nuclear weapons, requires effective containment of waste generated by the nuclear fuel cycle. Because actinides (e.g., 239Pu and 237Np) are long-lived, they have a major impact on risk assessments of geologic repositories. Thus, demonstrable, long-term chemical and mechanical durability are essential properties of waste forms for the immobilization of actinides. Mineralogic and geologic studies provide excellent candidate phases for immobilization and a unique database that cannot be duplicated by a purely materials science approach. The “mineralogic approach” is illustrated by a discussion of zircon as a phase for the immobilization of excess weapons plutonium. PMID:10097054

Low-Temperature Synthesis Routes to Intermetallic Superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaak, Raymond E

2008-01-08

Over the past few years, our group has gained expertise at developing low-temperature solution-based synthetic pathways to complex nanoscale solids, with particular emphasis on nanocrystalline intermetallic compounds. Our synthetic capabilities are providing tools to reproducibly generate intermetallic nanostructures with simultaneous control over crystal structure, composition, and morphology. This DOE-funded project aims to expand these capabilities to intermetallic superconductors. This could represent an important addition to the tools that are available for the synthesis and processing of intermetallic superconductors, which traditionally utilize high-temperature, high-pressure, thin film, or gas-phase vacuum deposition methods. Our current knowledge of intermetallic superconductors suggests that significant enhancements could result from the inherent benefits of low-temperature solution synthesis, e.g. metastable phase formation, control over nanoscale morphology to facilitate size-dependent property studies, robust and inexpensive processability, low-temperature annealing and consolidation, and impurity incorporation (for doping, stoichiometry control, flux pinning, and improving the critical fields). Our focus is on understanding the superconducting properties as a function of synthetic route, crystal structure, crystallite size, and morphology, and developing the synthetic tools necessary to accomplish this. This research program can currently be divided into two classes of superconducting materials: intermetallics (transition metal/post transition metal) and metal carbides/borides. Both involve the development and exploitation of low-temperature synthesis routes followed by detailed characterization of structures and properties, with the goal of understanding how the synthetic pathways influence key superconducting properties of selected target materials. Because of the low-temperature methods used to synthesize them and the nanocrystalline morphologies

X-ray diffraction study of the phase purity, order and texture of ductile B2 intermetallics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mulay, R.P.; Wollmershauser, J.A.; Heisel, M.A. [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4745 (United States); Bei, H. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Material Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Russell, A.M. [Iowa State University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Agnew, S.R., E-mail: sra4p@virginia.edu [Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4745 (United States)

2010-04-15

Representatives (AgY, CuY, AgEr, CuDy, MgY and MgCe) of the newly discovered family of ductile stoichiometric B2 intermetallic (metal-rare-earth element, MR) compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction, to determine if their anomalous ductility is related to an exceptional level of phase purity, lack of chemical ordering or a strong crystallographic texture. Brittle NiAl served as an anti-type in this study. We found that all of the rare-earth compounds, except MgY, have a significant volume fraction ({approx}5-20 vol.%) of second phases (M{sub 2}R intermetallics and R{sub 2}O{sub 3} oxides), which has not been reported in previous studies of these materials. The most ductile of observed MR compounds, AgY, is highly ordered. A moderate texture was observed in AgY, which may explain its higher ductility (using polycrystal modeling) as compared to other MR compounds. However, the intrinsic polycrystalline ductility of these compounds in the randomly textured state (like that observed in CuY) still has no specific, definitive explanation.

X-ray diffraction study of the phase purity, order and texture of ductile B2 intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulay, R.P.; Wollmershauser, J.A.; Heisel, M.A.; Bei, H.; Russell, A.M.; Agnew, S.R.

2010-01-01

Representatives (AgY, CuY, AgEr, CuDy, MgY and MgCe) of the newly discovered family of ductile stoichiometric B2 intermetallic (metal-rare-earth element, MR) compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction, to determine if their anomalous ductility is related to an exceptional level of phase purity, lack of chemical ordering or a strong crystallographic texture. Brittle NiAl served as an anti-type in this study. We found that all of the rare-earth compounds, except MgY, have a significant volume fraction (∼5-20 vol.%) of second phases (M 2 R intermetallics and R 2 O 3 oxides), which has not been reported in previous studies of these materials. The most ductile of observed MR compounds, AgY, is highly ordered. A moderate texture was observed in AgY, which may explain its higher ductility (using polycrystal modeling) as compared to other MR compounds. However, the intrinsic polycrystalline ductility of these compounds in the randomly textured state (like that observed in CuY) still has no specific, definitive explanation.

Reaction of hydrogen with the Laves phase (C14) TiCr1.78-xMnx compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agresti, F.; Lo Russo, S.; Maddalena, A.; Principi, G.; Mazzolai, G.; Coluzzi, B.; Biscarini, A.; Mazzolai, F.M.; Tuissi, A.

2009-01-01

The lattice constants a and c of the as cast hexagonal (C14) Laves phase TiCr 1.78-x Mn x (x = 0, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8) have been measured by X-ray diffraction at room temperature as a function of the Mn content. It has been found that a decreases with increasing x while c remains almost unchanged. Being this alloy interesting as material for solid state hydrogen storage, pressure-composition isotherms have been traced on desorption mode for the H 2 gas pressure and temperature varying from 10 to 0.01 MPa and from 209 to 307 K, respectively. From the temperature dependence of the plateau pressure the molar quantities ΔH-bar H 2 and ΔS-bar H 2 associated with the hydride decomposition have been determined as a function of the Mn content. With increasing x, both ΔH-bar H 2 and ΔS-bar H 2 progressively decrease, and the desorption pressure initially decreases (for x ≤ 0.4) then slightly increases. At the same time, the pseudo-plateaus become flatter.

The corrosion resistance of HVOF sprayed coatings with intermetallic phases in aggressive environments

OpenAIRE

B. Formanek; J. Cizner; B. Szczucka-Lasota; R. Przeliorz

2006-01-01

Purpose: The cyclic corrosion behavior of coatings with intermetallic matrix ( FeAl, NiAl and FeAl-TiAl) was investigated in aggressive gases.Design/methodology/approach: The composite coatings strengthened by a fine dispersive Al2O3 and other ceramic phases were thermally sprayed by HVOF method in Jet Kote 2 system. A kinetics test was carried out by periodic method for exposure times of up to 500 hours. Mass changes of the studied coatings during the corrosion test are presented. The surfac...

Superplastic ceramics and intermetallics and their potential applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wadsworth, J.; Nieh, T.G.

1994-11-01

Recent advances in the basic understanding of superplasticity and superplastic forming of ceramics and intermetallics are reviewed. Fine-grained superplastic ceramics, including yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal, Y- or MgO-doped Al 2 O 3 Hydroxyapatite, β-spodumene glass ceramics, Al 2 0 3 -YTZP two-phase composites, SiC-Si 3 N 4 and Fe-Fe 3 C composites, are discussed. Superplasticity in the nickel-base (e.g., Ni 3 Al and Ni 3 Si) and titanium-base intermetallics (TiAl and T1 3 Al), is described. Deformation mechanisms as well as microstructural requirements and effects such as grain size, grain growth, and grain-boundary phases, on the superplastic deformation behavior am addressed. Factors that control the superplastic tensile elongation of ceramics are discussed. Superplastic forming, and particularly biaxial gas-pressure forming, of several ceramics and intermetallics are presented with comments on the likelihood of commercial application

Formation of intermetallic phases in AlSi7Fe1 alloy processed under microgravity and forced fluid flow conditions and their influence on the permeability

Science.gov (United States)

Steinbach, S.; Ratke, L.; Zimmermann, G.; Budenkova, O.

2016-03-01

Ternary Al-6.5wt.%Si-0.93wt.%Fe alloy samples were directionally solidified on-board of the International Space Station ISS in the ESA payload Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) equipped with Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) under both purely diffusive and stimulated convective conditions induced by a rotating magnetic field. Using different analysis techniques the shape and distribution of the intermetallic phase β-Al5SiFe in the dendritic microstructure was investigated, to study the influence of solidification velocity and fluid flow on the size and spatial arrangement of intermetallics. Deep etching as well as 3-dimensional computer tomography measurements characterized the size and the shape of β-Al5SiFe platelets: Diffusive growth results in a rather homogeneous distribution of intermetallic phases, whereas forced flow promotes an increase in the amount and the size of β-Al5SiFe platelets in the centre region of the samples. The β-Al5SiFe intermetallics can form not only simple platelets, but also be curved, branched, crossed, interacting with dendrites and porosity located. This leads to formation of large and complex groups of Fe-rich intermetallics, which reduce the melt flow between dendrites leading to lower permeability of the mushy zone and might significantly decrease feeding ability in castings.

Crystal structure and magnetism of UOsAl

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Andreev, Alexander V.; Daniš, S.; Šebek, Josef; Henriques, Margarida Isabel Sousa; Vejpravová, Jana; Gorbunov, Denis; Havela, L.

2017-01-01

Roč. 428, Apr (2017), s. 144-147 ISSN 0304-8853 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-03593S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : uranium intermetallics * laves phases * Pauli paramagnetism Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 2.630, year: 2016

Effect of Tb and Al substitution within the rare earth and cobalt sublattices on magnetothermal properties of Dy.sub.0.5./sub.Ho.sub.0.5./sub.Co.sub.2./sub.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Chzhan, V.B.; Tereshina, Evgeniya; Mikhailova, A.B.; Politova, G.A.; Tereshina, I. S.; Kozlov, V.I.; Ćwik, J.; Nenkov, K.; Alekseeva, O.A.; Filimonov, A.V.

2017-01-01

Roč. 432, June (2017), s. 461-465 ISSN 0304-8853 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA16-03593S Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : rare- earth intermetallics * laves phase * heat capacity * magnetocaloric effect Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism OBOR OECD: Condensed matter physics (including formerly solid state physics, supercond.) Impact factor: 2.630, year: 2016

X-ray nano-diffraction study of Sr intermetallic phase during solidification of Al-Si hypoeutectic alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manickaraj, Jeyakumar; Gorny, Anton; Shankar, Sumanth, E-mail: shankar@mcmaster.ca [Light Metal Casting Research Centre (LMCRC), Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L7 (Canada); Cai, Zhonghou [Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)

2014-02-17

The evolution of strontium (Sr) containing intermetallic phase in the eutectic reaction of Sr-modified Al-Si hypoeutectic alloy was studied with high energy synchrotron beam source for nano-diffraction experiments and x-ray fluorescence elemental mapping. Contrary to popular belief, Sr does not seem to interfere with the Twin Plane Re-entrant Edge (TPRE) growth mechanism of eutectic Si, but evolves as the Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}Sr phase during the eutectic reaction at the boundary between the eutectic Si and Al grains.

Advances in computational actinide chemistry in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Dongqi; Wu, Jingyi; Chai, Zhifang [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China). Multidisciplinary Initiative Center; Su, Jing [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China). Div. of Nuclear Materials Science and Engineering; Li, Jun [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Dept. of Chemistry and Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering

2014-04-01

The advances in computational actinide chemistry made in China are reviewed. Several areas relevant to chemistry of actinides in gas, liquid, and solid phases have been explored. However, we limit the scope to selected contributions in the chemistry of molecular actinide systems in gas and liquid phases. These studies may be classified into two categories: treatment of relativistic effects, which cover the development of two- and four-component Hamiltonians and the optimization of relativistic pseudopotentials, and the applications of theoretical methods in actinide chemistry. The applications include (1) the electronic structures of actinocene, noble gas complexes, An-C multiple bonding compounds, uranyl and its isoelectronic species, fluorides and oxides, molecular systems with metal-metal bonding in their isolated forms (U{sub 2}, Pu{sub 2}) and in fullerene (U{sub 2} rate at C{sub 60}), and the excited states of actinide complexes; (2) chemical reactions, including oxidation, hydrolysis of UF{sub 6}, ligand exchange, reactivities of thorium oxo and sulfido metallocenes, CO{sub 2}/CS{sub 2} functionalization promoted by trivalent uranium complex; and (3) migration of actinides in the environment. A future outlook is discussed. (orig.)

Reaction kinetics of the formation of intermetallic Fe – Zn during hot - dip galvanizing of steel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Pokorny

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This review article mainly describes the composition of intermetallic Fe - Zn, i.e. zeta (ζ, delta (δ1k + δ1p, gamma1 (Γ1 and gamma (Γ on galvanized steel during low temperature galvanization (t ~ 450 °C. It gives detailed the formation, growth of individual phases during galvanization and their interaction. In terms of the kinetics, the formation of the coating is defined by a parabolic kinetic equation of the growth of different intermetallic phases under ideal conditions. From the available literature the rate constants of the formation of individual intermetallic phases and also for the total coating are cited. The composition of the intermetallic phases, iron content, crystal structure, and group symmetry in which the surface of galvanized steel forms.

A theoretical search for intermetallic compounds and solution phases in the binary system Sn/Zn

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Appen, Joerg von; Dronskowski, Richard; Hack, Klaus

2004-10-06

The binary system Sn/Zn was theoretically investigated by a classical thermodynamic analysis (CALPHAD approach) and by density-functional total-energy calculations on the basis of the LDA/GGA, plane waves/muffin-tin orbitals, and supercell geometries. In harmony with experimental data, both methods agree in that there is only very small solubility between the elements and no formation of a stable intermetallic phase over the entire compositional range. For the hypothetical composition Sn{sub 2}Zn, a total of 30 different crystal structures was quantum-mechanically optimized, and the chemical bondings of Sn{sub 2}Zn adopting the CaF{sub 2} and HgBr{sub 2} structures were analyzed in detail; generally, the more ionic structure types are better suited for the Sn{sub 2}Zn composition than typical intermetallic ones. Theoretical enthalphy-pressure diagrams were generated to explore high-pressure compound formation, and the observed transition pressures between the {alpha}, {beta} and {gamma} allotropes of tin were correctly reproduced by electronic structure theory.

Mechanical properties of aluminium matrix composites reinforced with intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres, B.; Garcia-Escorial, A.; Ibanez, J.; Lieblich, M.

2001-01-01

In this work 2124 aluminium matrix composites reinforced with Ni 3 Al, NiAl, MoSi 2 and Cr 3 Si intermetallic powder particles have been investigated. For comparison purposes, un reinforced 2124 and reinforced with SiC have also been studied. In all cases, the same powder metallurgy route was used, i. e. the 2124 alloy was obtained by rapid solidification and the intermetallic particles by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS). The matrix and the intermetallics were mechanically blended, cold compacted and finally hot extruded. Tensile tests were carried out in T1 and T4 treatments. Results indicate that mechanical properties depend strongly on the tendency to form new phases at the matrix-intermetallic interface during processing and/or further thermal treatments. The materials which present better properties are those that present less reaction between matrix and intermetallic reinforcement, i. e. MoSi 2 and SiC reinforced composites. (Author) 9 refs

Transformation of iron containing constituent intermetallic particles during hydrothermal treatment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borgaonkar, Shruti; Din, Rameez Ud; Kasama, Takeshi

2018-01-01

in the alloys. Furthermore, electron energy loss spectroscopy analysis revealed that the during the steam treatment, the Fe enriched areas of the Al (Fe-Si) Mn type intermetallic particles were transformed into Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 phases, while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy line profile measurements...... by scanning transmission electron microscope showed that Mn and Si were leached out and incorporated into the surrounding oxide layer. Further, the part of intermetallic phase was transformed into polycrystalline material....

The chemical phenol extraction of intermetallic particles from casting AlSi5Cu1Mg alloy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mrówka-Nowotnik, G; Sieniawski, J; Nowotnik, A

2010-03-01

This paper presents a chemical extraction technique for determination of intermetallic phases formed in the casting AlSi5Cu1Mg aluminium alloy. Commercial aluminium alloys contain a wide range of intermetallic particles that are formed during casting, homogenization and thermomechanical processing. During solidification, particles of intermetallics are dispersed in interdendritic spaces as fine primary phases. Coarse intermetallic compounds that are formed in this aluminium alloy are characterized by unique atomic arrangement (crystallographic structure), morphology, stability, physical and mechanical properties. The volume fraction, chemistry and morphology of the intermetallics significantly affect properties and material behaviour during thermomechanical processing. Therefore, accurate determination of intermetallics is essential to understand and control microstructural evolution in Al alloys. Thus, in this paper it is shown that chemical phenol extraction method can be applied for precise qualitative evaluation. The results of optical light microscopy LOM, scanning electron microscopy SEM and X-ray diffraction XRD analysis reveal that as-cast AlSi5Cu1Mg alloy contains a wide range of intermetallic phases such as Al(4)Fe, gamma- Al(3)FeSi, alpha-Al(8)Fe(2)Si, beta-Al(5)FeSi, Al(12)FeMnSi.

Formation and transformation of binary intermetallic phases in high purity Al-Fe alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griger, A.; Stefaniay, V.; Kovacs-Csetenyi, E.; Turmezey, T.

1990-01-01

The solid solubility of iron in aluminium is very low (<0.04%), (all compositions are given in w%) therefore most of the iron content appears as intermetallic phases in combination with aluminium and other elements. The amount of iron does not exceed the level of the eutectic concentration in the commercial aluminium alloys, however the non-desired effect of these primary phases of large size must be taken into consideration. In the case of rapid solidification (RS) the eutectic point shifts to higher values of iron content. The eutectic has a very fine structure and the primary phases formed at high cooling rates have also very low particle size. Because of it, for the sake of improvement of the thermo-mechanical properties of the RS aluminium alloys the quantity of iron can be increased up to 8-10%. Above this concentration the favourable properties do not develop while the elongation decreases

Intermetallic nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Dileep; Yusufoglu, Yusuf; Timofeeva, Elena; Routbort, Jules

2015-07-14

A process for preparing intermetallic nanoparticles of two or more metals is provided. In particular, the process includes the steps: a) dispersing nanoparticles of a first metal in a solvent to prepare a first metal solution, b) forming a reaction mixture with the first metal solution and a reducing agent, c) heating the reaction mixture to a reaction temperature; and d) adding a second metal solution containing a salt of a second metal to the reaction mixture. During this process, intermetallic nanoparticles, which contain a compound with the first and second metals are formed. The intermetallic nanoparticles with uniform size and a narrow size distribution is also provided. An electrochemical device such as a battery with the intermetallic nanoparticles is also provided.

Microstructure and tribological properties of Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Chun; Zhou, Jiansong; Yu, Youjun; Wang, Lingqian; Zhou, Huidi; Chen, Jianmin

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ti–Cu coating has been synthesized on pure Ti substrate by laser cladding. ► Microstructure and tribological properties of Ti–Cu coating were analyzed. ► The prepared Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating has excellent wear resistance. -- Abstract: Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating has been in situ synthesized successfully on pure Ti substrate by laser cladding using copper powder as the precursor. It has been found that the prepared coating mainly contains of TiCu, TiCu 3 , Ti 3 Cu, and Ti phases. The transmission electron microscopy results conform further the existence of Ti–Cu intermetallic compound in the fabricated coating. Tribological properties of the prepared Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating were systematically evaluated. It was found that normal loads and sliding speeds have a strong influence on the friction coefficient and wear rate of Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating. Namely, the friction coefficient of the Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating decreased with increasing normal load and sliding speed. The wear rate of the Ti–Cu intermetallic compound coating decreased rapidly with increasing sliding speed, while the wear rate increased as the normal load increased.

Hydrogen in intermetallic phases: the system titanium--nickel--hydrogen. Wasserstoff in intermetallischen phasen am beispiel des systems titan-nickel-wasserftoff

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buchner, H.; Gutjahr, M. A.; Beccu, K. D.; Saeufferer, H.

1972-07-01

The intermetallic phases Ti/sub 2/-Ni (E9/sub 3/-type) and TiNi (B2-type) are able to absorb great amounts of hydrogen interstitially. The E9/sub 3/-structure forms four isotypic hydrogen phases, the lattice parameters of which increase with increasing hydrogen contents (..delta..d/sub max/ = 5.3%). The stoichiometric formulas are: Ti/sub 2/NiH/sub 0/./sub 5/; Ti/sub 2/NiH; Ti/sub 2/NiH/sub 2/; Ti/sub 2/NiH/sub 2/./sub 5/. The lattice parameter of the B2-structure increases from 3.01 A to 3.10 A (..delta..d = 3%), thus forming the stoichiometric TiNiH phase. The TiNiH structure possesses an eight-fold superlattice having a B2 type cell. The positions of hydrogen in the two intermetallic phases Ti/sub 2/Ni and TiNi are discussed from the geometrical point of view. Neutron diffraction diagrams verify these positions for only two hydrogen phases (Ti/sub 2/NiH/sub 0/./sub 5/; Ti/sub 2/NiH). Because of extreme experimental difficulties, the exact hydrogen positions in the phases Ti/sub 2/NiH/sub 2/; Ti/sub 2/NiH/sub 2/./sub 5/; TiNiH are still unknown.

Microstructure and tribological properties of TiAg intermetallic compound coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Chun; Chen Jianmin; Zhou Jiansong; Zhao Jierong; Wang Linqian; Yu Youjun; Zhou Huidi

2011-01-01

TiAg intermetallic compound coating has been in situ synthesized successfully on pure Ti substrate by laser cladding using Ag powder as the precursor. It has been found that the prepared coating mainly comprised TiAg and Ti phases. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy results further conform the existence of TiAg intermetallic compound in the prepared coating. The magnified high resolution transmission electron microscopy images shown that the laser cladding coating contains TiAg nanocrystalline with the size of about 4 nm. Tribological properties of the prepared TiAg intermetallic compound coating were systematically evaluated. It was found that the friction coefficient and wear rate was closely related to the normal load and sliding speed, i.e., the friction coefficient of the prepared TiAg intermetallic compound coating decreased with increasing normal load and sliding speed. The wear rate of the TiAg intermetallic compound coating decreased rapidly with increasing sliding speed, while the wear rate increased as the normal load increased.

Microstructure and tribological properties of TiAg intermetallic compound coating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo Chun [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Chen Jianmin, E-mail: chenjm@lzb.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Zhou Jiansong [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Zhao Jierong; Wang Linqian; Yu Youjun [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039 (China); Zhou Huidi [State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China)

2011-10-01

TiAg intermetallic compound coating has been in situ synthesized successfully on pure Ti substrate by laser cladding using Ag powder as the precursor. It has been found that the prepared coating mainly comprised TiAg and Ti phases. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy results further conform the existence of TiAg intermetallic compound in the prepared coating. The magnified high resolution transmission electron microscopy images shown that the laser cladding coating contains TiAg nanocrystalline with the size of about 4 nm. Tribological properties of the prepared TiAg intermetallic compound coating were systematically evaluated. It was found that the friction coefficient and wear rate was closely related to the normal load and sliding speed, i.e., the friction coefficient of the prepared TiAg intermetallic compound coating decreased with increasing normal load and sliding speed. The wear rate of the TiAg intermetallic compound coating decreased rapidly with increasing sliding speed, while the wear rate increased as the normal load increased.

Homogeneous (Cu, Ni)6Sn5 intermetallic compound joints rapidly formed in asymmetrical Ni/Sn/Cu system using ultrasound-induced transient liquid phase soldering process.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Z L; Dong, H J; Song, X G; Zhao, H Y; Tian, H; Liu, J H; Feng, J C; Yan, J C

2018-04-01

Homogeneous (Cu, Ni) 6 Sn 5 intermetallic compound (IMC) joints were rapidly formed in asymmetrical Ni/Sn/Cu system by an ultrasound-induced transient liquid phase (TLP) soldering process. In the traditional TLP soldering process, the intermetallic joints formed in Ni/Sn/Cu system consisted of major (Cu, Ni) 6 Sn 5 and minor Cu 3 Sn IMCs, and the grain morphology of (Cu, Ni) 6 Sn 5 IMCs subsequently exhibited fine rounded, needlelike and coarse rounded shapes from the Ni side to the Cu side, which was highly in accordance with the Ni concentration gradient across the joints. However, in the ultrasound-induced TLP soldering process, the intermetallic joints formed in Ni/Sn/Cu system only consisted of the (Cu, Ni) 6 Sn 5 IMCs which exhibited an uniform grain morphology of rounded shape with a remarkably narrowed Ni concentration gradient. The ultrasound-induced homogeneous intermetallic joints exhibited higher shear strength (61.6 MPa) than the traditional heterogeneous intermetallic joints (49.8 MPa). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Some new experimental results on the Zr-Nb-Fe system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramos, C. [Departamento de Fisica - CAC - Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Av. Gral Paz 1499, (1650) San Martin, Buenos Aires (Argentina)]. E-mail: ciramos@cnea.gov.ar; Saragovi, C. [Departamento de Fisica - CAC - Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Av. Gral Paz 1499, (1650) San Martin, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Granovsky, M.S. [Departamento de Materiales - CAC - Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Av. Gral Paz 1499, (1650) San Martin, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2007-06-30

The scope of this study is the identification and characterization of intermetallic phases and their binary and ternary fields in the Zr-Nb-Fe phase diagram. A construction of the central region of the phase diagram at 900 {sup o}C was proposed using new experimental results obtained by optical and scanning electron microscopies, X-ray diffraction and microprobe analysis. In addition to the well-known Laves C15-type (ZrNb)Fe{sub 2} phase (the polytypic C14 and C36 structures were not detected in the studied compositions), another Laves C14-type phase was found (Zr(NbFe){sub 2}). Watson and Bennett maps helped to predict the occurrence of both of these phases. Moreover, the validity of the Pettifor prediction model for Laves phases in pseudobinary systems with transition elements was checked, verifying the obtained experimental results in the Zr-Nb-Fe system. On the other hand it was determined that the Zr-Nb-Fe ternary system at 900 {sup o}C, as it happens in the binary Zr-Nb system, would have a miscibility gap ({beta}-Zr + {beta}-Nb) in the 25-70 at.% Nb composition range, accepting up to 3 at.% Fe approximately.

A new method to estimate the atomic volume of ternary intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pani, M.; Merlo, F.

2011-01-01

The atomic volume of an A x B y C z ternary intermetallic compound can be calculated starting from volumes of some proper A-B, A-C and B-C binary phases. The three methods by Colinet, Muggianu and Kohler, originally used to estimate thermodynamic quantities, and a new method here proposed, were tested to derive volume data in eight systems containing 91 ternary phases with the known structure. The comparison between experimental and calculated volume values shows the best agreement both for the Kohler method and for the new proposed procedure. -- Graphical abstract: Synopsys: the volume of a ternary intermetallic compound can be calculated starting from volumes of some binary phases, selected by the methods of Colinet, Muggianu, Kohler and a new method proposed here. The so obtained values are compared with the experimental ones for eight ternary systems. Display Omitted Research highlights: → The application of some thermodinamic methods to a crystallochemical problem. → The prevision of the average atomic volume of ternary intermetallic phases. → The proposal of a new procedure to select the proper starting set of binary phases.

Li{sub 12}Cu{sub 12.60}Al{sub 14.37}. A new ternary derivative of the binary Laves phases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlyuk, Volodymyr [Ivan Franko Lviv National Univ. (Ukraine). Dept. of Inorganic Chemistry; Jan Dlugosz Univ., Czestochowa (Poland). Inst. of Chemistry, Environment Protection and Biotechnology; Dmytriv, Grygoriy; Tarasiuk, Ivan [Ivan Franko Lviv National Univ. (Ukraine). Dept. of Inorganic Chemistry; Chumak, Ihor [IFW Dresden (Germany); Ehrenberg, Helmut [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe (Germany). Inorganic Chemistry

2011-12-15

New ternary dodecalithium dodecacopper tetradecaaluminium, Li{sub 12}Cu{sub 12.60}Al{sub 14.37} (trigonal, R anti 3m, hR39), crystallizes as a new structure type and belongs to the structural family that derives from binary Laves phases. The Li atoms are enclosed in 15- and 16-vertex and the Al3 atom in 14-vertex pseudo-Frank-Kasper polyhedra. The polyhedra around the statistical mixtures of (Cu,Al)1 and (Al,Cu)2 are distorted icosahedra. The electronic structure was calculated by the TB- LMTO-ASA (tight-binding linear muffin-tin orbital atomic spheres approximation) method. The electron localization function, which indicates bond formation, is mostly located at the Al atoms. Thus, Al-Al bonding is much stronger than Li-Al or Cu-Al bonding. This indicates that, besides metallic bonding which is dominant in this compound, weak covalent Al-Al interactions also exist. (orig.)

Actinide chemistry in the far field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Livens, F.R.; Morris, K.; Parkman, R.; Moyes, L.

1996-01-01

The environmental chemistry of the actinides is complicated due both to the extensive redox and coordination chemistry of the elements and also to the complexity of the reactive phases encountered in natural environments. In the far field, interactions with reactive surfaces, coatings and colloidal particles will play a crucial role in controlling actinide mobility. By virtue of both their abundance and reactivity; clays and other layer aluminosilicate minerals, hydrous oxides and organic matter (humic substances) are all identified as having the potential to react with actinide ions and some possible modes of interaction are described, together with experimental evidence for their occurrence. (author)

Nuclear magnetic relaxation and origins of RMN signals from GdAl2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos Oliveira Junior, I. dos.

1988-12-01

The intermetallic compound GdAl 2 crystallizes in the cubic Laves phase C15. It is a simple ferromagnet below 176K. The easy direction of magnetization in this compound is such that the Al ions are distributed among two magnetically inequivalent sites. The pulsed NMR technique was used to study the origin of the signals from these two sites and the nuclear magnetic relaxation. (author) [pt

Effect of Sr and solidification conditions on characteristics of intermetallic in Al-Si 319 industrial alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Espinoza-Cuadra, J.; Gallegos-Acevedo, P.; Mancha-Molinar, H.; Picado, A.

2010-01-01

An experimental study was carried out to determine the effect of strontium (Sr) on the characteristic of intermetallic phases, particularly the Al 5 FeSi phase which present morphology of platelets or needle-like. The results showed that within the range of variables studied, the modification process caused the disappearance of the needles and only occur the precipitation of phase α (chinese script-like). Refinement of the intermetallic phases occurs in conjunction with the refinement in grain size. Both parameters depend strongly on local cooling rate (T), temperature gradient (G) and apparent rate of solidification front (V). In the case of equiaxed structures the refinement of grain size and intermetallic occurs with increasing local cooling rate and temperature gradient and decrease the apparent rate of solidification front. In the case of columnar structures, refinement of grains and intermetallic requires the increase in values of the three variables indicated. Moreover, the addition of Sr resulted in the modification of silicon eutectic, as noted in others research works.

Actinide-Aluminate Speciation in Alkaline Radioactive Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, David L.; Fedosseev, Alexander M.

2001-01-01

Investigation of behavior of actinides in alkaline media containing AL(III) showed that no aluminate complexes of actinides in oxidation states (IIII-VIII) were formed in alkaline solutions. At alkaline precipitation IPH (10-14) of actinides in presence of AL(III) formation of aluminate compounds is not observed. However, in precipitates contained actinides (IIV)<(VI), and to a lesser degree actinides (III), some interference of components takes place that is reflected in change of solid phase properties in comparison with pure components or their mechanical mixture. The interference decreases with rise of precipitation PH and at PH 14 is exhibited very feebly. In the case of NP(VII) the individual compound with AL(III) is obtained, however it is not aluminate of neptunium(VII), but neptunate of aluminium(III) similar to neptunates of other metals obtained earlier

Electronic configurations and energies in some thermodynamically correlated laves compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, G.M.

1979-04-01

The known electronic configurations of simple elements in Laves compounds are correlated with those of the more complex systems to determine their electronic configurations and gaseous state promotion energies

Experimental studies of actinides in molten salts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reavis, J.G.

1985-06-01

This review stresses techniques used in studies of molten salts containing multigram amounts of actinides exhibiting intense alpha activity but little or no penetrating gamma radiation. The preponderance of studies have used halides because oxygen-containing actinide compounds (other than oxides) are generally unstable at high temperatures. Topics discussed here include special enclosures, materials problems, preparation and purification of actinide elements and compounds, and measurements of various properties of the molten volts. Property measurements discussed are phase relationships, vapor pressure, density, viscosity, absorption spectra, electromotive force, and conductance. 188 refs., 17 figs., 6 tabs.

Experimental studies of actinides in molten salts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reavis, J.G.

1985-06-01

This review stresses techniques used in studies of molten salts containing multigram amounts of actinides exhibiting intense alpha activity but little or no penetrating gamma radiation. The preponderance of studies have used halides because oxygen-containing actinide compounds (other than oxides) are generally unstable at high temperatures. Topics discussed here include special enclosures, materials problems, preparation and purification of actinide elements and compounds, and measurements of various properties of the molten volts. Property measurements discussed are phase relationships, vapor pressure, density, viscosity, absorption spectra, electromotive force, and conductance. 188 refs., 17 figs., 6 tabs

Al/Ni metal intermetallic composite produced by accumulative roll bonding and reaction annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mozaffari, A.; Hosseini, M.; Manesh, H. Danesh

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Al/Ni metallic composites produced by accumulative roll bonding were heat treated at different temperatures and periods, to investigate the effect of reaction annealing on the structure and mechanical properties. → Based on the annealing conditions, various intermetallic phases were formed. The structure and composition of the composites were detected by SEM and XRD techniques. → The strength of the initial metallic composite can be improved due to the formation of the hard intermetallic phases, by the heat treatment process. - Abstract: In this research, Al/Ni multilayers composites were produced by accumulative roll bonding and then annealed at different temperatures and durations. The structure and mechanical properties of the fabricated metal intermetallic composites (MICs) were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses were used to evaluate the structure and composition of the composite. The Al 3 Ni intermetallic phase is formed in the Al/Ni interface of the samples annealed at 300 and 400 deg. C. When the temperature increased to 500 deg. C, the Al 3 Ni 2 phase was formed in the composite structure and grew, while the Al 3 Ni and Al phases were simultaneously dissociated. At these conditions, the strength of MIC reached the highest content and was enhanced by increasing time. At 600 deg. C, the AlNi phase was formed and the mechanical properties of MIC were intensively degraded due to the formation of structural porosities.

The role of intermetallic precipitates in Ti-62222S

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Evans, D J [US Air Force Mater. Directorate Wright Lab., Wright Patterson AFB, OH (United States); Broderick, T F [US Air Force Mater. Directorate Wright Lab., Wright Patterson AFB, OH (United States); Woodhouse, J B [UES Inc, Dayton, OH (United States); Hoenigman, J R [Wright State Univ., Dayton, OH (United States). Research Inst.

1996-08-15

Samples of Ti-62222-0.23wt.%Si were heat treated and aged at temperatures ranging from 1150 F to 1500 F with the view of effecting selective precipitation of {alpha}{sub 2} precipitates and silicides (i.e. Ti{sub x}Zr{sub 5-x}Si{sub 3}). The effect of these intermetallic precipitates on the mechanical properties and fracture morphology was assessed via three separate microstructural conditions: Ti-62222S with {alpha}{sub 2} precipitates, Ti-62222S with {alpha}{sub 2} and silicide precipitates, and Ti-62222S with silicide precipitates. Both types of intermetallic precipitate appear to lower the fracture toughness, however {alpha}{sub 2} promotes intergranular fracture while silicides lead to transgranular failure and dimpling. The combined presence of the {alpha}{sub 2} and silicides leads to mixed mode failure. Further, since {alpha}{sub 2} is present in the {alpha} phase and silicides precipitate out in the {beta} phase, it appears that the effect of each of these intermetallics in Ti-62222S is additive rather than synergistic. (orig.)

Corrosive sliding wear behavior of laser clad Mo2Ni3Si/NiSi intermetallic coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, X.D.; Wang, H.M.

2005-01-01

Many ternary metal silicides such as W 2 Ni 3 Si, Ti 2 Ni 3 Si and Mo 2 Ni 3 Si with the topologically closed-packed (TCP) hP12 MgZn 2 type Laves phase crystal structure are expected to have outstanding wear and corrosion resistance due to their inherent high hardness and sluggish temperature dependence and strong atomic bonds. In this paper, Mo 2 Ni 3 Si/NiSi intermetallic coating was fabricated on substrate of an austenitic stainless steel AISI321 by laser cladding using Ni-Mo-Si elemental alloy powders. Microstructure of the coating was characterized by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). Wear resistance of the coating is evaluated under corrosive sliding wear test condition. Influence of corrosion solutions on the wear resistance of the coating was studied and the wear mechanism was discussed based on observations of worn surface morphology. Results showed that the laser clad Mo 2 Ni 3 Si/NiSi composite coating have a fine microstructure of Mo 2 Ni 3 Si primary dendrites and the interdendritic Mo 2 Ni 3 Si/NiSi eutectics. The coating has excellent corrosive wear resistance compared with austenitic stainless steel AISI321 under acid, alkaline and saline corrosive environments

Minor actinide transmutation using minor actinide burner reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukaiyama, T.; Yoshida, H.; Gunji, Y.

1991-01-01

The concept of minor actinide burner reactor is proposed as an efficient way to transmute long-lived minor actinides in order to ease the burden of high-level radioactive waste disposal problem. Conceptual design study of minor actinide burner reactors was performed to obtain a reactor model with very hard neutron spectrum and very high neutron flux in which minor actinides can be fissioned efficiently. Two models of burner reactors were obtained, one with metal fuel core and the other with particle fuel core. Minor actinide transmutation by the actinide burner reactors is compared with that by power reactors from both the reactor physics and fuel cycle facilities view point. (author)

Influence of intermetallic growth on the mechanical properties of Zn–Sn–Cu–Bi/Cu solder joints

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xing, Fei; Yao, Jia; Liang, Jingwei; Qiu, Xiaoming, E-mail: qiuxm13@163.com

2015-11-15

The formation of intermetallic reaction layers and their influence on shear strength and fractography was investigated between the Zn–Sn–Cu–Bi (ZSCB) and Cu substrate during the liquid state reaction at 450 °C after 10–90 s. Results showed that reliable solder joints could be obtained at 450 °C after 15–30 s of wetting, accompanied by the creation of scallop ε-CuZn{sub 5}, flat γ-Cu{sub 5}Zn{sub 8} and β-CuZn intermetallic layers in ZSCB/Cu interface. However, with excess increase of soldering time, a transient intermetallic ε-CuZn{sub 4} phase was nuclear and grew at ε-CuZn{sub 5}/γ-Cu{sub 5}Zn{sub 8} interface, which apparently deteriorated the shear strength of solder joints from 76.5 MPa to 51.6 MPa. The sensitivity of the fracture proportion was gradually transformed from monotonic ε-CuZn{sub 5} to the mixture of ε-CuZn{sub 4} and ε-CuZn{sub 5} intermetallic cleavage. Furthermore, the growth mechanism of ε-CuZn{sub 4} intermetallic phase at the ZSCB/Cu interface was discussed. - Highlights: • There are four interfacial intermetallic layers formed at the Zn–Sn–Cu–Bi/Cu interface. • The growth mechanism of ε-CuZn{sub 4} intermetallic phase was discussed. • The wetting time of Zn–Sn–Cu–Bi solder in contact with Cu substrate is a key parameter.

μSR-studies of magnetic properties of metallic rare earth compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asch, L.; Kalvius, G.M.; Chappert, J.; Yaouanc, A.; Hartmann, O.; Karlsson, E.; Wappling, R.

1984-01-01

Positive muons can probe the magnitude and the time dependence of the magnetic field at interstitial sites in condensed matter. Thus the relatively new techniques of muons spin rotation and muon spin relaxation have become unique tools for studying magnetism. After a brief introduction into the experimental method we then discuss measurements on the elemental rare earth metals and on intermetallic compounds, in particular on the cubic Laves phases REAl 2

Titanium as an intermetallic phase stabilizer and its effect on the mechanical and thermal properties of Al-Si-Mg-Cu-Ti alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Se-Weon [Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, 6 Cheomdan-gwagiro 208 beon-gil, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-480 (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Hoon-Sung [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Chonnam National University, 77 Yongbong-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-757 (Korea, Republic of); Kumai, Shinji [Department of Metallurgy and Ceramics Science, Tokyo Institute of Technology, S8-10, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552 (Japan)

2016-12-15

The effect of precipitation of intermetallics on the mechanical and thermal properties of Al-6.5Si-0.44Mg-0.9Cu-(Ti) alloys (in wt%) during various artificial aging treatments was studied using a universal testing machine and a laser flash apparatus. The solution treatment of the alloy samples was conducted at 535 °C for 6 h, followed by quenching in warm water. The solution-treated samples were artificially aged for 5 h at different temperatures ranging from 170 °C to 220 °C. After the artificial aging treatment, the Al-6.5Si-0.44Mg-0.9Cu alloy (the Ti-free alloy) had a lower ultimate tensile strength (UTS) than the Al-6.5Si-0.44Mg-0.9Cu-0.2Ti alloy. The UTS response of the alloys was enhanced by the addition of Ti, with the maximum UTS showing an increase from 348 MPa for the Ti-free alloy to 363 MPa for that containing 0.2 wt% Ti, aged at 180 °C. The Ti-free alloy had a higher thermal diffusivity than the Ti-containing alloy over all temperature ranges. Upon increasing the temperature from 180 °C to 220 °C, the room temperature thermal diffusivities increased because the solute concentration in the α-Al matrix rapidly decreased. In particular, the thermal diffusivity increased significantly between 200 °C and 400 °C. This temperature range matched the range of intermetallic phase precipitation as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and measurement of the coefficient of thermal expansion. During the artificial aging treatment, the intermetallic phases precipitated and grew rapidly. These reactions induced a reduction of the solute atoms in the solid solution, thus producing a more significant reduction in the thermal diffusivity. As the temperature was increased to above 400 °C, the formation of intermetallic phases ceased, and the thermal diffusivity showed a steady value, regardless of the aging temperature.

Det særlige ved at lave et projekt i Nationalt Videncenter for Læsning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Henriette Romme

2009-01-01

Nationalt Videncenter for Læsnings kommunikationskonsulent har interviewet projektdeltagere om, hvor de så det særlige i at lave et projekt i regi af Nationalt Videncenter for Læsning......Nationalt Videncenter for Læsnings kommunikationskonsulent har interviewet projektdeltagere om, hvor de så det særlige i at lave et projekt i regi af Nationalt Videncenter for Læsning...

Structure data of elements and intermetallic phases. SubVol. B. Sulfides, selenides, tellurides. Pt. 1. Ag-Al-Cd-S. Cu-Te-Yb

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hellwege, K H; Hellwege, A M [eds.; Eisenmann, B; Schaefer, H

1986-01-01

Volume III/14 'Structure data of elements and intermetallic phases' is a supplement to and extension of Volume III/6. Since the publication of III/6 in 1971 (considering original papers up to 1967), the amount of new information for these substances has increased rapidly. Therefore the data had to be divided into several parts. The first part, III/14b1, is presented herewith. In Volume III/6, simple sulfides, selenides and tellurides were treated together with the intermetallic phases. The data are compiled in the same way as in III/6: for each substance the space group, lattice constants, their dependence on temperature and pressure, and other information is listed in the tables. In several cases, mostly for solid solutions, diagrams are given which are added in a separate chapter. Original papers containing a complete structure analysis are referred to in the tables. (orig./GSCH).

Experimental measurements and integrated modelling studies of actinide sorption onto cement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugiyama, Daisuke; Fujita, Tomonari; Baston, G.M.N.

2003-01-01

An Integrated Cement Sorption Model (ICSM) for actinides onto Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) is developed. The experimental measurements using the batch sorption technique for actinides onto cement and constituent minerals, which were considered in the modelling calculations, are also described. The actinide elements studied (thorium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium and americium) were strongly sorbed onto OPC. An initial comparison of the experimental data relating the sorption values of actinides onto cement-component phases with those onto OPC is carried out. The results suggest that the Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H) phases were found to be the most likely candidates to be the dominant-sorbing phases in order to describe the sorption of a actinides onto OPC. An approach to develop the integrated cement sorption model, based on a thermodynamic surface complexation model, is described with discussions on the possible mineralogy and phase distribution of OPC. Another approach than sorption, assuming that co-precipitation on the surface of the cement phase dominates 'sorption', is proposed and discussed. A scoring system is introduced to assess the applicability of the proposed ICSMs. It is suggested that the thermodynamic sorption model is recommended for the sorption of ionic species and the surface co-precipitation model is recommended for the sorption of neutral species though the sorption model is still recommended to be used to model OPC-based systems. (author)

Intermetallic matrix composites; Proceedings of the MRS Symposium, San Francisco, CA, Apr. 18-20, 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anton, D.L.; Martin, P.L.; Miracle, D.B.; Mcmeeking, R.

1990-01-01

The present volume on intermetallic matrix composites discusses the modeling, processing, microstructure/property relationships, and compatibility of intermetallic matrix composites. Attention is given to models for the strength of ductile matrix composites, innovative processing techniques for intermetallic matrix composites, ductile phase toughening of brittle intermetallics, and reactive synthesis of NbAl3 matrix composites. Topics addressed include solidification processing of NbCr2 alloys, Ta and Nb reinforced MoSi2, the microstructure and mechanical behavior of Ni3Al-matrix composites, and ductile-phase toughening of Cr3Si with chromium. Also discussed are dislocation morphologies in TiB2/NiAl, the development of highly impact resistant NiAl matrix composites, the effect of notches on the fatigue life of the SCS-6Ti3Al composite, and the chemical stability of fiber-metal matrix composites

Solid-state transformation of Fe-rich intermetallic phases in Al–5.0Cu–0.6Mn squeeze cast alloy with variable Fe contents during solution heat treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Bo; Zhang, Weiwen; Zhao, Yuliang; Li, Yuanyuan

2015-01-01

The Al–5.0 wt.% Cu–0.6 wt.% Mn alloys with a variable Fe content were prepared by squeeze casting. Optical microscopy (OM), Deep etching technique, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine the solid-state transformation of Fe-rich intermetallics during the solution heat treatment. The results showed that the Chinese script-like α-Fe, Al 6 (FeMn) and needle-like Al 3 (FeMn) phases transform to a new Cu-rich β-Fe (Al 7 Cu 2 (FeMn)) phase during solution heat treatment. The possible reaction and overall transformation kinetics of the solid-state phase transformation for the Fe-rich intermetallics were investigated. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • The α-Fe, Al 6 (FeMn) and Al 3 (FeMn) phases change to the β-Fe phases. • Possible reactions of Fe phases during solution heat treatment are discussed. • The overall fractional transformation rate follows an Avrami curve

Mixer-settler performance evaluation in actinide extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camilo, R.L.; Goncalves, M.A.; Carvalho, E.I.; Nakazone, A.K.; Araujo, B.F. de; Araujo, J.A.

1988-07-01

This paper deals with four conceptions of mixer-settlers used for actinide purification and recovery. By means of the uranium concentration profiles in the organic and aqueous phases, the evaluation of each mixer-settler was made. The main purpose of this work is the data acquisition, for adapting the different contactor types to actinide recovery by liquid-liquid extraction, in the nuclear fuel cycle. (autor) [pt

Microstructure Characterization and Wear-Resistant Properties Evaluation of an Intermetallic Composite in Ni–Mo–Si System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boyuan Huang

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Intermetallic compounds have been studied for their potential application as structural wear materials or coatings on engineering steels. In the present work, a newly designed intermetallic composite in a Ni–Mo–Si system was fabricated by arc-melting process with commercially pure metal powders as starting materials. The chemical composition of this intermetallic composite is 45Ni–40Mo–15Si (at %, selected according to the ternary alloy diagram. The microstructure was characterized using optical microscopy (OM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS, and the wear-resistant properties at room temperature were evaluated under different wear test conditions. Microstructure characterization showed that the composite has a dense and uniform microstructure. XRD results showed that the intermetallic composite is constituted by a binary intermetallic compound NiMo and a ternary Mo2Ni3Si metal silicide phase. Wear test results indicated that the intermetallic composite has an excellent wear-resistance at room-temperature, which is attributed to the high hardness and strong atomic bonding of constituent phases NiMo and Mo2Ni3Si.

Cerium intermetallics CeTX. Review III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Poettgen, Rainer; Janka, Oliver [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische und Analytische Chemie; Chevalier, Bernard [Bordeaux Univ., Pessac (France). Inst. de Chimie de la Matiere Condensee de Bordeaux

2016-05-01

The structure-property relationships of CeTX intermetallics with structures other than the ZrNiAl and TiNiSi type are systematically reviewed. These CeTX phases form with electron-poor and electron-rich transition metals (T) and X = Mg, Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, In, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P, As, Sb, and Bi. The review focusses on the crystal chemistry, the chemical bonding peculiarities, and the magnetic and transport properties. Furthermore {sup 119}Sn Moessbauer spectroscopic data, high-pressure studies, hydrogenation reactions and the formation of solid solutions are reviewed. This paper is the third of a series of four reviews on equiatomic intermetallic cerium compound [Part I: R. Poettgen, B. Chevalier, Z. Naturforsch. 2015, 70b, 289; Part II: R. Poettgen, B. Chevalier, Z. Naturforsch. 2015, 70b, 695].

Simulations of the Thermodynamic and Diffusion Properties of Actinide Oxide Fuel Materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, Udo

2013-01-01

Spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors is comprised of 95-99 percent UO 2 and 1-5 percent fission products and transuranic elements. Certain actinides and fission products are of particular interest in terms of fuel stability, which affects reprocessing and waste materials. The transuranics found in spent nuclear fuels are Np, Pu, Am, and Cm, some of which have long half- lives (e.g., 2.1 million years for 237 Np). These actinides can be separated and recycled into new fuel matrices, thereby reducing the nuclear waste inventory. Oxides of these actinides are isostructural with UO 2 , and are expected to form solid solutions. This project will use computational techniques to conduct a comprehensive study on thermodynamic properties of actinide-oxide solid solutions. The goals of this project are to: Determine the temperature-dependent mixing properties of actinide-oxide fuels; Validate computational methods by comparing results with experimental results; Expand research scope to complex (ternary and quaternary) mixed actinide oxide fuels. After deriving phase diagrams and the stability of solid solutions as a function of temperature and pressure, the project team will determine whether potential phase separations or ordered phases can actually occur by studying diffusion of cations and the kinetics of potential phase separations or ordered phases. In addition, the team will investigate the diffusion of fission product gases that can also have a significant influence on fuel stability. Once the system has been established for binary solid solutions of Th, U, Np, and Pu oxides, the methodology can be quickly applied to new compositions that apply to ternaries and quaternaries, higher actinides (Am, Cm), burnable poisons (B, Gd, Hf), and fission products (Cs, Sr, Tc) to improve reactivity

Effect of Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Inconel 625 Alloy Fabricated by Pulsed Plasma Arc Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Fujia; Lv, Yaohui; Liu, Yuxin; Xu, Binshi; He, Peng

Pulsed plasma arc deposition (PPAD) was successfully used to fabricate the Ni-based superalloy Inconel 625 samples. The effects of three heat treatment technologies on microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-deposited material were investigated. It was found that the as-deposited structure exhibited homogenous cellular dendrite structure, which grew epitaxially along the deposition direction. Moreover, some intermetallic phases including Laves phase and MC carbides were precipitated in the interdendritic region as a result of Nb segregation. Compared with the as-deposited microstructure, the direct aged (DA) microstructure changed little except the precipitation of hardening phases γ' and γ" (Ni3Nb), which enhanced the hardness and tensile strength. But the plastic property was inferior due to the existence of brittle Laves phase. After solution and aging heat treatment (STA), a large amount of Laves particles in the interdendritic regions were dissolved, resulting in the reduction of Nb segregation and the precipitation of needle-like δ (Ni3Nb) in the interdendritic regions and grain boundaries. The hardness and tensile strength were improved without sacrificing the ductility. By homogenization and STA heat treatment (HSTA), Laves particles were dissolved into the matrix completely and resulted in recrystallized large grains with bands of annealing twins. The primary MC particles and remaining phase still appeared in the matrix and grain boundaries. Compared with the as-deposited sample, the mechanical properties decreased severely as a result of the grain growth coarsening. The failure modes of all the tensile specimens were analyzed with fractography.

Toughening and creep in multiphase intermetallics through ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

It has however often been the case that the process of ductilisation or toughening has also led to a decrease in high temperature properties, especially creep. In this paper we describe approaches to the ductilisation of two different classes of intermetallic alloys through alloying to introduce beneficial, second phase effects.

Intermetallic compounds of Ni and Ga as catalysts for the synthesis of methanol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharafutdinov, Irek; Elkjær, Christian Fink; de Carvalho, Hudson Wallace Pereira

2014-01-01

In this work, we present a detailed study of the formation of supported intermetallic Ni–Ga catalysts for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. The bimetallic phase is formed during a temperature-programmed reduction of the metal nitrates. By utilizing a combination of characterization techniques......, in particular in situ and ex situ X-ray diffraction, in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence, we have studied the formation of intermetallic Ni–Ga catalysts of two compositions: NiGa and Ni5Ga3. These methods...... demonstrate that the catalysts with the desired intermetallic phase and composition are formed upon reduction in hydrogen and enable us to propose a mechanism of the Ni–Ga nanoparticles formation. By studying the effect of calcination prior to catalyst reduction, we show that the reactivity depends...

Intermetallics structures, properties, and statistics

CERN Document Server

Steurer, Walter

2016-01-01

The focus of this book is clearly on the statistics, topology, and geometry of crystal structures and crystal structure types. This allows one to uncover important structural relationships and to illustrate the relative simplicity of most of the general structural building principles. It also allows one to show that a large variety of actual structures can be related to a rather small number of aristotypes. It is important that this book is readable and beneficial in the one way or another for everyone interested in intermetallic phases, from graduate students to experts in solid-state chemistry/physics/materials science. For that purpose it avoids using an enigmatic abstract terminology for the classification of structures. The focus on the statistical analysis of structures and structure types should be seen as an attempt to draw the background of the big picture of intermetallics, and to point to the white spots in it, which could be worthwhile exploring. This book was not planned as a textbook; rather, it...

Actinide speciation in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choppin, G.R.

2007-01-01

Nuclear test explosions and nuclear reactor wastes and accidents have released large amounts of radioactivity into the environment. Actinide ions in waters often are not in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium and their solubility and migration behavior is related to the form in which the nuclides are introduced into the aquatic system. Chemical speciation, oxidation state, redox reactions, and sorption characteristics are necessary in predicting solubility of the different actinides, their migration behaviors and their potential effects on marine biota. The most significant of these variables is the oxidation state of the metal ion as the simultaneous presence of more than one oxidation state for some actinides in a solution complicates actinide environmental behavior. Both Np(V)O 2 + and Pu(V)O 2 + , the most significant soluble states in natural oxic waters, are relatively noncomplexing and resistant to hydrolysis and subsequent precipitation. The solubility of NpO 2 + can be as high as 10 -4 M while that of PuO 2 + is much more limited by reduction to the insoluble tetravalent species, Pu(OH) 4 , (pK sp ≥56) but which can be present in the pentavalent form in aqautic phases as colloidal material. The solubility of hexavalent UO 2 2+ in sea water is relatively high due to formation of carbonate complexes. The insoluble trivalent americium hydroxocarbonate, Am(OH)(CO 3 ) is the limiting species for the solubility of Am(III) in sea water. Thorium(IV) is present as Th(OH) 4 , in colloidal form. The chemistry of actinide ions in the environment is reviewed to show the spectrum of reactions that can occur in natural waters which must be considered in assessing the environmental behavior of actinides. Much is understood about sorption of actinides on surfaces, the mode of migration of actinides in such waters and the potential effects of these radioactive species on marine biota, but much more understanding of the behavior of the actinides in the environment is

Actinide science with soft x-ray synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuh, D.

2002-01-01

Several workshops, some dating back more than fifteen years, recognised both the potential scientific impact and opportunities that would be made available by the capability to investigate actinide materials in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV)/soft X-ray region of the synchrotron radiation (SR) spectrum. This spectral region revolutionized the approach to surface materials chemistry and physics nearly two decades ego. The actinide science community was unable to capitalize on these SR methodologies for the study of actinide materials until recently because of radiological safety concerns. ,The Advanced Light Source (ALS) at LBNL is a third-generation light source providing state-of-the-art performance in the VUV/soft X-ray region. Along with corresponding improvements in detector and vacuum technology, the ALS has rendered experiments with small amounts of actinide materials possible. In particular, it has been the emergence and development of micro-spectroscopic techniques that have enabled investigations of actinide materials at the ALS. The primary methods for the experimental investigation of actinide materials in the VUV/soft X-ray region are the complementary photoelectron spectroscopies, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) techniques. Resonant photo-emission is capable of resolving the 5f electron contributions to actinide bonding and can be used to characterise the electronic structure of actinide materials. This technique is clearly a most important methodology afforded by the tunable SR source. Core level and valence band photoelectron spectroscopies are valuable for the characterisation of the electronic properties of actinide materials, as well as for general analytical purposes. High-resolution core-level photo-emission and resonant photo-emission measurements from the a (monoclinic) and δ (FCC) allotropic phases of plutonium metal have been collected on beam line 7.0 at the ALS and the spectra show

Effects on auto-irradiation on the solubility of mineral phases enriched by actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prot, T.

1993-07-01

The scope of the present work is to investigate possible effects of self-irradiation damage induced by α-decay (α-recoil nucleus and α-particle) on the hydrated layer formed by aqueous corrosion of nuclear glass and on alteration phases of a granitic geological repository (calcium carbonate or iron oxides and oxihydroxide) which would be likely irradiated in the framework of high-level radioactive waste disposal, for sufficient concentration of actinides and age. Our experimental procedure relies on a bombardment with external beams of 1.5 to 1.8 MeV He ions and 200 KeV Pb ions, which respectively simulate the radiation effects of α-particles and of α-recoil nuclei. We have observed in a first step, direct irradiation effects (change of volume and refractive index, chemical modification) by means of optical microscopy, microtopographical analysis (surface profilometer) and R.B.S. and X.P.S. In a second step, corrosion tests were performed in static conditions to observe a possible indirect effect (increase of the hydratation rate, actinide release) on the later evolution as for example, a marked increase in solubility (calcium carbonate case)

Ceramic-intermetallic composites produced by mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering

CERN Document Server

Cabanas-Moreno, J G; Martínez-Sanchez, R; Delgado-Gutierrez, O; Palacios-Gomez, J; Umemoto, M

1998-01-01

Nano-and microcomposites of intermetallic (Co/sub 3/Ti, AlCo/sub 2 /Ti) and ceramic (TiN, Ti(C, N), Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/) phases have been produced by spark plasma sintering (SPS) of powders resulting from mechanical alloying of Al-Co-Ti elemental powder mixtures. The mechanically alloyed powders consisted of mixtures of nanocrystalline and amorphous phases which, on sintering, transformed into complex microstructures of the intermetallic and ceramic phases. For Al contents lower than about 30 at% in the original powder mixtures, the use of SPS led to porosities of 1-2% in the sintered compacts and hardness values as high as ~1700 kg/mm/sup 2/; in these cases, the composite matrix was TiN and Ti(C, N), with the Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ phase found as finely dispersed particles in the matrix and the Co /sub 3/Ti and AlCo/sub 2/Ti phases as interdispersed grains. (19 refs).

Solid-state transformation of Fe-rich intermetallic phases in Al–5.0Cu–0.6Mn squeeze cast alloy with variable Fe contents during solution heat treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Bo [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); School of Mechanical Engineering, Gui Zhou University, Guiyang 550000 (China); Zhang, Weiwen, E-mail: mewzhang@scut.edu.cn [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Zhao, Yuliang; Li, Yuanyuan [School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2015-06-15

The Al–5.0 wt.% Cu–0.6 wt.% Mn alloys with a variable Fe content were prepared by squeeze casting. Optical microscopy (OM), Deep etching technique, scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to examine the solid-state transformation of Fe-rich intermetallics during the solution heat treatment. The results showed that the Chinese script-like α-Fe, Al{sub 6}(FeMn) and needle-like Al{sub 3}(FeMn) phases transform to a new Cu-rich β-Fe (Al{sub 7}Cu{sub 2}(FeMn)) phase during solution heat treatment. The possible reaction and overall transformation kinetics of the solid-state phase transformation for the Fe-rich intermetallics were investigated. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • The α-Fe, Al{sub 6}(FeMn) and Al{sub 3}(FeMn) phases change to the β-Fe phases. • Possible reactions of Fe phases during solution heat treatment are discussed. • The overall fractional transformation rate follows an Avrami curve.

Kinetics of intermetallic phase formation at the interface of Sn-Ag-Cu-X (X = Bi, In) solders with Cu substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hodulova, Erika; Palcut, Marian; Lechovic, Emil; Simekova, Beata; Ulrich, Koloman

2011-01-01

Highlights: → In substitutes Sn in intermetallic compounds formed at the Cu-solder interface. → Bi and In decrease the parabolic rate constant of Cu 3 Sn layer growth. → In increases the parabolic rate constant of Cu 6 Sn 5 layer growth. → High In concentrations should be avoided since they may lead to a pre-mature solder joint degradation. - Abstract: The effects of Bi and In additions on intermetallic phase formation in lead-free solder joints of Sn-3.7Ag-0.7Cu; Sn-1.0Ag-0.5Cu-1.0Bi and Sn-1.5Ag-0.7Cu-9.5In (composition given in weight %) with copper substrate are studied. Soldering of copper plate was conducted at 250 deg. C for 5 s. The joints were subsequently aged at temperatures of 130-170 deg. C for 2-16 days in a convection oven. The aged interfaces were analyzed by optical microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) microanalysis. Two intermetallic layers are observed at the interface - Cu 3 Sn and Cu 6 Sn 5 . Cu 6 Sn 5 is formed during soldering. Cu 3 Sn is formed during solid state ageing. Bi and In decrease the growth rate of Cu 3 Sn since they appear to inhibit tin diffusion through the grain boundaries. Furthermore, indium was found to produce a new phase - Cu 6 (Sn,In) 5 instead of Cu 6 Sn 5 , with a higher rate constant. The mechanism of the Cu 6 (Sn,In) 5 layer growth is discussed and the conclusions for the optimal solder chemical composition are presented.

The actinides-a beautiful ending of the Periodic Table

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansson, Boerje; Li, Sa

2007-01-01

The 5f elements, actinides, show many properties which have direct correspondence to the 4f transition metals, the lanthanides. The remarkable similarity between the solid state properties of compressed Ce and the actinide metals is pointed out in the present paper. The α-γ transition in Ce is considered as a Mott transition, namely, from delocalized to localized 4f states. An analogous behavior is also found for the actinide series, where the sudden volume increase from Pu to Am can be viewed upon as a Mott transition within the 5f shell as a function of the atomic number Z. On the itinerant side of the Mott transition, the earlier actinides (Pa-Pu) show low symmetry structures at ambient conditions; while across the border, the heavier elements (Am-Cf) present the dhcp structure, an atomic arrangement typical for the trivalent lanthanide elements with localized 4f magnetic moments. The reason for an isostructural Mott transition of the f electron in Ce, as opposed to the much more complicated cases in the actinides, is identified. The strange appearance of the δ-phase (fcc) in the phase diagram of Pu is another consequence of the border line behavior of the 5f electrons. The path leading from δ-Pu to α-Pu is identified

Electron-Poor Polar Intermetallics: Complex Structures, Novel Clusters, and Intriguing Bonding with Pronounced Electron Delocalization.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Qisheng; Miller, Gordon J

2018-01-16

Intermetallic compounds represent an extensive pool of candidates for energy related applications stemming from magnetic, electric, optic, caloric, and catalytic properties. The discovery of novel intermetallic compounds can enhance understanding of the chemical principles that govern structural stability and chemical bonding as well as finding new applications. Valence electron-poor polar intermetallics with valence electron concentrations (VECs) between 2.0 and 3.0 e - /atom show a plethora of unprecedented and fascinating structural motifs and bonding features. Therefore, establishing simple structure-bonding-property relationships is especially challenging for this compound class because commonly accepted valence electron counting rules are inappropriate. During our efforts to find quasicrystals and crystalline approximants by valence electron tuning near 2.0 e - /atom, we observed that compositions close to those of quasicrystals are exceptional sources for unprecedented valence electron-poor polar intermetallics, e.g., Ca 4 Au 10 In 3 containing (Au 10 In 3 ) wavy layers, Li 14.7 Mg 36.8 Cu 21.5 Ga 66 adopting a type IV clathrate framework, and Sc 4 Mg x Cu 15-x Ga 7.5 that is incommensurately modulated. In particular, exploratory syntheses of AAu 3 T (A = Ca, Sr, Ba and T = Ge, Sn) phases led to interesting bonding features for Au, such as columns, layers, and lonsdaleite-type tetrahedral frameworks. Overall, the breadth of Au-rich polar intermetallics originates, in part, from significant relativistics effect on the valence electrons of Au, effects which result in greater 6s/5d orbital mixing, a small effective metallic radius, and an enhanced Mulliken electronegativity, all leading to ultimate enhanced binding with nearly all metals including itself. Two other successful strategies to mine electron-poor polar intermetallics include lithiation and "cation-rich" phases. Along these lines, we have studied lithiated Zn-rich compounds in which structural

Valence instabilities as a source of actinide system inconsistencies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandenaw, T.A.

1979-01-01

Light actinide elements alone, and in some of their alloys, may exist as a static or dynamic mixture of two configurations. Such a state can explain both a resistivity maximum and lack of magnetic order observed in so many actinide materials, and still be compatible with the existence of f-electrons in narrow bands. Impurity elements may stabilize slightly different intermediate valence states in U, Np, and Pu, thus contributing to inconsistencies in published results. The physical property behavior of mixed-valence, rare-earth compounds is very much like that observed in development of antiphase (martensitic) structures. Martensitic transformations in U, Np, and Pu, from high-temperature b. c. c. to alpha phase, may be a way of ordering an alloy-like metal of mixed or intermediate valence. The relative stability of each phase structure may depend upon its electron-valence ratio. A Hubbard model for electron correlations in a narrow energy band has been invoked in most recent theories for explaining light actinide behavior. Such a model may also be applicable to crystal symmetry changes in martensitic transformations in actinides

Reaction of hydrogen with the Laves phase (C14) TiCr{sub 1.78-x}Mn{sub x} compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agresti, F. [Universita di Padova, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Settore Materiali and CNISM, via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova (Italy); Lo Russo, S. [Universita di Padova, Dipartimento di Fisica and CNISM, via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova (Italy); Maddalena, A.; Principi, G. [Universita di Padova, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Settore Materiali and CNISM, via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova (Italy); Mazzolai, G. [Universita di Perugia, Dipartimento di Fisica, Via A. Pascoli 5, 06100 Perugia (Italy); Universita Telematica e-Campus, Via Isimbardi 10, Novedrate (Colombia) (Italy); Coluzzi, B.; Biscarini, A. [Universita di Perugia, Dipartimento di Fisica, Via A. Pascoli 5, 06100 Perugia (Italy); Mazzolai, F.M., E-mail: fabio.mazzolai@fisica.unipg.it [Universita di Perugia, Dipartimento di Fisica, Via A. Pascoli 5, 06100 Perugia (Italy); Tuissi, A. [Istituto per l' Energia e le Interfasi, CNR-IENI, C.so Promessi Sposi, 29, Lecco (Italy)

2009-09-15

The lattice constants a and c of the as cast hexagonal (C14) Laves phase TiCr{sub 1.78-x}Mn{sub x} (x = 0, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8) have been measured by X-ray diffraction at room temperature as a function of the Mn content. It has been found that a decreases with increasing x while c remains almost unchanged. Being this alloy interesting as material for solid state hydrogen storage, pressure-composition isotherms have been traced on desorption mode for the H{sub 2} gas pressure and temperature varying from 10 to 0.01 MPa and from 209 to 307 K, respectively. From the temperature dependence of the plateau pressure the molar quantities {Delta}H-bar{sub H{sub 2}} and {Delta}S-bar{sub H{sub 2}} associated with the hydride decomposition have been determined as a function of the Mn content. With increasing x, both {Delta}H-bar{sub H{sub 2}} and {Delta}S-bar{sub H{sub 2}} progressively decrease, and the desorption pressure initially decreases (for x {<=} 0.4) then slightly increases. At the same time, the pseudo-plateaus become flatter.

Phase Composition of a CrMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr High Entropy Alloy: Comparison of Experimental and Simulated Data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fan Zhang

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Microstructure and phase composition of a CrMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr high entropy alloy were studied in the as-solidified and heat treated conditions. In the as-solidified condition, the alloy consisted of two disordered BCC phases and an ordered cubic Laves phase. The BCC1 phase solidified in the form of dendrites enriched with Mo, Ta and Nb, and its volume fraction was 42%. The BCC2 and Laves phases solidified by the eutectic-type reaction, and their volume fractions were 27% and 31%, respectively. The BCC2 phase was enriched with Ti and Zr and the Laves phase was heavily enriched with Cr. After hot isostatic pressing at 1450 °C for 3 h, the BCC1 dendrites coagulated into round-shaped particles and their volume fraction increased to 67%. The volume fractions of the BCC2 and Laves phases decreased to 16% and 17%, respectively. After subsequent annealing at 1000 °C for 100 h, submicron-sized Laves particles precipitated inside the BCC1 phase, and the alloy consisted of 52% BCC1, 16% BCC2 and 32% Laves phases. Solidification and phase equilibrium simulations were conducted for the CrMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr alloy using a thermodynamic database developed by CompuTherm LLC. Some discrepancies were found between the calculated and experimental results and the reasons for these discrepancies were discussed.

Actinide metal processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauer, N.N.; Watkin, J.G.

1992-01-01

A process for converting an actinide metal such as thorium, uranium, or plutonium to an actinide oxide material by admixing the actinide metal in an aqueous medium with a hypochlorite as an oxidizing agent for sufficient time to form the actinide oxide material and recovering the actinide oxide material is described together with a low temperature process for preparing an actinide oxide nitrate such as uranyl nitrate. Additionally, a composition of matter comprising the reaction product of uranium metal and sodium hypochlorite is provided, the reaction product being an essentially insoluble uranium oxide material suitable for disposal or long term storage

Recent advances in ordered intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, C.T.

1995-01-01

Ordered intermetallic alloys based on aluminides and silicides offer many advantages for structural use at elevated temperatures in hostile environments. Their attractive properties include excellent oxidation and corrosion resistance, light weight, and superior strength at elevated temperatures. The major concern for structural use of intermetallics was their low ductility and poor fracture resistance at ambient temperatures. For the past ten years, considerable effort has been devoted to the research and development of ordered intermetallic alloys, and good progress has been made on understanding intrinsic and extrinsic factors controlling brittle fracture in intermetallic alloys based on aluminides and silicides. Parallel efforts on alloy design have led to the development of a number of ductile and strong intermetallic alloys based on Ni(3)Al, NiAl, Fe(3)Al, FeAl, Ti(3)Al and TiAl systems for structural applications. (orig.)

Extraction of tetravalent and hexavalent actinide ions by tetraheptylammonium nitrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swarup, Rajendra; Patil, S.K.

1977-01-01

Extraction of Th(IV), Np(IV), Pu(IV), U(VI), Np(VI), and Pu(VI) by tetraheptylammonium nitrate in Solvesso-100 has been studied from nitric acid medium. Attempts were made to identify the complex species in the organic phase by studying the dependence of the distribution coefficient of the actinide on amine concentration and taking the absorption spectra of the organic phase containing actinide ions. A compound tetraheptylammonium trinitratodioxouranate (VI) has been isolated and characterised. (author)

The μ3 model of acids and bases: extending the Lewis theory to intermetallics.

Science.gov (United States)

Stacey, Timothy E; Fredrickson, Daniel C

2012-04-02

A central challenge in the design of new metallic materials is the elucidation of the chemical factors underlying the structures of intermetallic compounds. Analogies to molecular bonding phenomena, such as the Zintl concept, have proven very productive in approaching this goal. In this Article, we extend a foundational concept of molecular chemistry to intermetallics: the Lewis theory of acids and bases. The connection is developed through the method of moments, as applied to DFT-calibrated Hückel calculations. We begin by illustrating that the third and fourth moments (μ(3) and μ(4)) of the electronic density of states (DOS) distribution tune the properties of a pseudogap. μ(3) controls the balance of states above and below the DOS minimum, with μ(4) then determining the minimum's depth. In this way, μ(3) predicts an ideal occupancy for the DOS distribution. The μ(3)-ideal electron count is used to forge a link between the reactivity of transition metals toward intermetallic phase formation, and that of Lewis acids and bases toward adduct formation. This is accomplished through a moments-based definition of acidity which classifies systems that are electron-poor relative to the μ(3)-ideal as μ(3)-acidic, and those that are electron-rich as μ(3)-basic. The reaction of μ(3) acids and bases, whether in the formation of a Lewis acid/base adduct or an intermetallic phase, tends to neutralize the μ(3) acidity or basicity of the reactants. This μ(3)-neutralization is traced to the influence of electronegativity differences at heteroatomic contacts on the projected DOS curves of the atoms involved. The role of μ(3)-acid/base interactions in intermetallic phases is demonstrated through the examination of 23 binary phases forming between 3d metals, the stability range of the CsCl type, and structural trends within the Ti-Ni system.

Production of nanograined intermetallics using high-pressure torsion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alhamidi, Ali; Edalati, Kaveh; Horita, Zenji, E-mail: horita@zaiko.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan)

2013-11-01

Formation of intermetallics is generally feasible at high temperatures when the lattice diffusion is fast enough to form the ordered phases. This study shows that nanograined intermetallics are formed at a low temperature as 573 K in Al- 25 mol% Ni, Al- 50 mol.% Ni and Al- 50 mol% Ti powder mixtures through powder consolidation using high-pressure torsion (HPT). For the three compositions, the hardness gradually increases with straining but saturates to the levels as high as 550-920 Hv. In addition to the high hardness, the TiAl material exhibits high yield strength as {approx}3 GPa with good ductility as {approx}23%, when they are examined by micropillar compression tests. X-ray diffraction analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveal that the significant increase in hardness and strength is due to the formation of nanograined intermetallics such as Al{sub 3}Ni, Al{sub 3}Ni{sub 2}, TiAl{sub 3}, TiAl{sub 2} and TiAl with average grain sizes of 20-40 nm (author)

Synthesis of tetravalent actinide chlorides. Versatile compounds for actinide chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maerz, Juliane [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Chemistry of the F-Elements

2016-07-01

Anhydrous actinide tetrachlorides (AnCl{sub 4}) were synthesized under mild conditions to provide versatile compounds for actinide chemistry. They enable a direct access to actinide complexes with organic and inorganic ligands.

Chemistry and Properties of Complex Intermetallics from Metallic Fluxes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kanatzidis, Mercouri G. [Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

2015-03-28

This project investigated the reaction chemistry and synthesis of new intermetallic materials with complex compositions and structures using metallic fluxes as solvents. It was found that the metallic fluxes offer several key advantages in facilitating the formation and crystal growth of new materials. The fluxes mostly explored were liquid aluminum, gallium and indium. The main purpose of this project was to exploit the potential of metallic fluxes as high temperature solvent for materials discovery in the broad class of intermetallics. This work opened new paths to compound formation. We discovered many new Si (or Ge)-based compounds with novel structures, bonding and physicochemical properties. We created new insights about the reaction chemistry that is responsible for stabilizing the new materials. We also studied the structural and compositional relationships to understand their properties. We investigated the use of Group-13 metals Al, Ga and In as solvents and have generated a wide variety of new results including several new ternary and quaternary materials with fascinating structures and properties as well as new insights as to how these systems are stabilized in the fluxes. The project focused on reactions of metals from the rare earth element family in combination with transition metals with Si and Ge. For example molten gallium has serves both as a reactive and non-reactive solvent in the preparation and crystallization of intermetallics in the system RE/M/Ga/Ge(Si). Molten indium behaves similarly in that it too is an excellent reaction medium, but it gives compounds that are different from those obtained from gallium. Some of the new phase identified in the aluminide class are complex phases and may be present in many advanced Al-matrix alloys. Such phases play a key role in determining (either beneficially or detrimentally) the mechanical properties of advanced Al-matrix alloys. This project enhanced our basic knowledge of the solid state chemistry

Atomic interaction of the MEAM type for the study of intermetallics in the Al–U alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pascuet, M.I.; Fernández, J.R.

2015-01-01

Interaction for both pure Al and Al–U alloys of the MEAM type are developed. The obtained Al interatomic potential assures its compatibility with the details of the framework presently adopted. The Al–U interaction fits various properties of the Al_2U, Al_3U and Al_4U intermetallics. The potential verifies the stability of the intermetallic structures in a temperature range compatible with that observed in the phase diagram, and also takes into account the greater stability of these structures relative to others that are competitive in energy. The intermetallics are characterized by calculating elastic and thermal properties and point defect parameters. Molecular dynamics simulations show a growth of the Al_3U intermetallic in the Al/U interface in agreement with experimental evidence. - Highlights: • Potential parameters for Al and Al–U systems are obtained. • Intermetallics are characterized by calculating elastic and thermal properties. • Point defect diffusivities are calculated for the three intermetallics. • Growth of the Al_3U intermetallic is shown to occur in the Al/U interface as in the real alloy.

Composites having an intermetallic containing matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagle, D.C.; Brupbacher, J.M.; Christodoulou, L.

1990-01-01

This paper describes a composite material. It comprises: a dispersion of in-situ precipitated second phase particles selected from the group consisting of borides, carbides, nitrides, and sulfides, in an intermetallic containing matrix selected from the group consisting of the aluminides, silicides, and beryllides of nickel, copper, titanium, cobalt, iron, platinum, gold, silver, niobium, tantalum, zinc, molybdenum, hafnium, tin, tungsten, lithium, magnesium, thorium, chromium, vanadium, zirconium, and manganese

Preparation of Ti3Al intermetallic compound by spark plasma sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Tsutomu; Fukui, Takahiro

2018-04-01

Sintered compacts of single phase Ti3Al intermetallic compound, which have excellent potential as refractory materials, were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS). A raw powder of Ti3Al intermetallic compound with an average powder diameter of 176 ± 56 μm was used in this study; this large powder diameter is disadvantageous for sintering because of the small surface area. The samples were prepared at sintering temperatures (Ts) of 1088, 1203, and 1323 K, sintering stresses (σs) of 16, 32, and 48 MPa, and a sintering time (ts) of 10 min. The calculated relative densities based on the apparent density of Ti3Al provided by the supplier were approximately 100% under all sintering conditions. From the experimental results, it was evident that SPS is an effective technique for dense sintering of Ti3Al intermetallic compounds in a short time interval. In this report, the sintering characteristics of Ti3Al intermetallic compacts are briefly discussed and compared with those of pure titanium compacts.

Gas-Phase Energetics of Actinide Oxides: An Assessment of Neutral and Cationic Monoxides and Dioxides from Thorium to Curium

Science.gov (United States)

Marçalo, Joaquim; Gibson, John K.

2009-09-01

An assessment of the gas-phase energetics of neutral and singly and doubly charged cationic actinide monoxides and dioxides of thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, and curium is presented. A consistent set of metal-oxygen bond dissociation enthalpies, ionization energies, and enthalpies of formation, including new or revised values, is proposed, mainly based on recent experimental data and on correlations with the electronic energetics of the atoms or cations and with condensed-phase thermochemistry.

Microstructural characterisation of Inconel 718 gas tungsten arc welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ram, G.D.J.; Reddy, A.V.; Rao, K.P.

2005-01-01

The presence of Nb-rich, brittle, intermetallic Laves phase in Inconel 718 weld fusion zones is detrimental to weld mechanical properties. In the current work, autogenous bead-on-plate gas tungsten-arc welds were deposited in 2 mm thick IN 718 sheets. The welds were subjected to the following heat treatments: i) direct aging, ii) solution treatment at 980 C followed by aging, and iii) solution treatment at 1080 C followed by aging. Detailed microstructural characterisation was carried out using optical, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes and electron probe microanalysis. The microstructural features in as-welded and post-weld heat treated conditions are discussed. The results show that post-weld heat treatments alone cannot provide satisfactory solution to the Laves problem in Inconel 718 gas tungsten-arc welds

Electronic structure, cohesive, and magnetic properties of the actinide-iridium Laves phases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eriksson, O.; Johansson, B.; Brooks, M. S. S.

1989-01-01

The electronic structure of the isostructural AIr2 systems (A=Th, Pa, U, Np, Pu, and Am) has been obtained by means of the scalar relativistic and fully relativistic linear muffin-tin orbital techniques. Ground-state properties such as lattice constants and onset of magnetic order have been calcu...

Modification of NiAl intermetallic coatings processed by PTA with chromium carbides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yano, Diogo Henrique Sepel; Brunetti, Cristiano; Pintaude, Giuseppe; Oliveira, Ana Sofia Climaco Monteiro d'

2010-01-01

Equipment that operate under high-temperatures can be protected with NiAl intermetallic coatings mainly because of their metallurgical stability. This study as it evaluates the effect of chromium carbide added to Ni-Al intermetallic coatings processed by PTA. Three Ni-Al-Cr23C6 powder mixtures with different carbide fractions (15, 30 and 45 wt%) and another without carbides were deposited by PTA on an AISI 304 stainless steel plate, using two different current intensities (100 and 150A). Coatings were evaluated regarding the presence of welding defects, and resultant microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Vickers microhardness and EDS chemical composition were also determined. NiAl and Cr_7C_3 development was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. A combination of NiAl/Cr-Fe-Ni phases was identified. The hardness was strongly related to the formed phases and their amounts. Besides presenting advances toward the development of coatings which can withstand severe operation conditions, the present study shows that PTA hardfacing is able to produce reinforced intermetallic coatings for high-temperature applications. (author)

Actinide separation by electrorefining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fusselman, S.P.; Gay, R.L.; Grantham, L.F.; Grimmett, D.L.; Roy, J.J.; Inoue, T.; Hijikata, T.; Krueger, C.L.; Storvick, T.S.; Takahashi, N.

1995-01-01

TRUMP-S is a pyrochemical process being developed for the recovery of actinides from PUREX wastes. This paper describes development of the electrochemical partitioning step for recovery of actinides in the TRUMP-S process. The objectives are to remove 99 % of each actinide from PUREX wastes, with a product that is > 90 % actinides. Laboratory tests indicate that > 99 % of actinides can be removed in the electrochemical partitioning step. A dynamic (not equilibrium) process model predicts that 90 wt % product actinide content can be achieved through 99 % actinide removal. Accuracy of model simulation results were confirmed in tests with rare earths. (authors)

A metastable HCP intermetallic phase in Cu-Al bilayer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cha, Limei

2006-07-01

For the present study, three kinds of layered Cu/Al films have been fabricated. The first kind of samples were multilayered Cu/Al films deposited by sputtering on (001)Si. The individual layer thicknesses were 100 nm, 200 nm and 400 nm, while the total film thickness of 800 nm was kept constant, thus leading to multilayer systems with 8, 4 and 2 layers, respectively. The second type of samples were Cu/Al bilayer films grown on (0001) sapphire by sputtering, with individual layer thicknesses of 400 nm. The third type of samples were bilayer films (100 nm Cu and 100 nm Al) deposited on (0001)sapphire by MBE at room temperature. Applying conventional transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, different epitaxial growth behaviors were found in these films. All multilayer films from the first type were polycrystalline. The second type of films show a (111) FCC texture and possess intermetallic phases at the interfaces. HRTEM investigations displayed that along [111]FCC, the atomic structure of the interlayer has an ABAB stacking sequence, which is identical with a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structure in [0001] direction, but not with the ABCABC stacking sequence of Cu and Al in [111]FCC. The lattice parameters of the HCP structure at the interlayer were determined from a model which gave the best agreement between the experimental and simulated images. The parameters are: a=b=0.256 nm, c=0.419 nm, ?=120 , with the space group of P6m2. Furthermore, lattice distortion analysis revealed that the lattice parameters of the HCP phase are increasing from the near-Cu-side to the near-Al-side. The chemical composition of the interlayer was investigated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). EDS linescans were performed from pure Al to pure Cu layers. In order to examine the stability of this HCP phase, in-situ heating experiments were performed in the HRTEM at {proportional_to}600 C. Ex-situ heating experiments were performed at different temperatures to

Neutron scattering studies of the actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lander, G.H.

1979-01-01

The electronic structure of actinide materials presents a unique example of the interplay between localized and band electrons. Together with a variety of other techniques, especially magnetization and the Mossbauer effect, neutron studies have helped us to understand the systematics of many actinide compounds that order magnetically. A direct consequence of the localization of 5f electrons is the spin-orbit coupling and subsequent spin-lattice interaction that often leads to strongly anisotropic behavior. The unusual phase transition in UO 2 , for example, arises from interactions between quadrupole moments. On the other hand, in the monopnictides and monochalcogenides, the anisotropy is more difficult to understand, but probably involves an interaction between actinide and anion wave functions. A variety of neutron experiments, including form-factor studies, critical scattering and measurements of the elementary excitations have now been performed, and the conceptual picture emerging from these studies will be discussed

Investigation of orientation gradients around a hard Laves particle in a warm-rolled Fe3Al-based alloy using a 3D EBSD-FIB technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konrad, J.; Zaefferer, S.; Raabe, D.

2006-01-01

We present a study of the microstructure around a hard Laves particle in a warm-rolled intermetallic Fe 3 Al-based alloy. The experiments are conducted using a system for three-dimensional orientation microscopy (3D electron backscattering diffraction, EBSD). The approach is realized by a combination of a focused ion beam (FIB) unit for serial sectioning with high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy with EBSD. We observe the formation of steep 3D orientation gradients in the Fe 3 Al matrix around the rigid precipitate which entail in part particle-stimulated nucleation events in the immediate vicinity of the particle. The orientation gradients assume a characteristic pattern around the particle in the transverse plane while revealing an elongated tubular morphology in the rolling direction. However, they do not reveal a characteristic common rotation axis. Recovered areas in the matrix appear both in the transverse and rolling directions around the particle. The work demonstrates that the new 3D EBSD-FIB technique provides a new level of microstructure information that cannot be achieved by conventional 2D-EBSD analysis

Structure and hydrogen storage properties of the hexagonal Laves phase Sc(Al{sub 1-x}Ni{sub x}){sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sahlberg, Martin, E-mail: Martin.sahlberg@kemi.uu.se [Department of Chemistry, The Angstroem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala (Sweden); Angstroem, Jonas, E-mail: jonas.angstrom@kemi.uu.se [Department of Chemistry, The Angstroem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala (Sweden); Zlotea, Claudia, E-mail: claudia.zlotea@icmpe.cnrs.fr [Chimie Metallurgique des Terres Rares, Institut de Chimie et des Materiaux de Paris Est, UMR 7182, CNRS, 2-8 rue Henri Dunant, 94320 Thiais Cedex (France); Beran, Premysl, E-mail: pberan@ujf.cas.cz [Nuclear Physics Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 25068 Rez (Czech Republic); Latroche, Michel, E-mail: michel.latroche@glvt-cnrs.fr [Chimie Metallurgique des Terres Rares, Institut de Chimie et des Materiaux de Paris Est, UMR 7182, CNRS, 2-8 rue Henri Dunant, 94320 Thiais Cedex (France); Pay Gomez, Cesar, E-mail: Cesar.paygomez@kemi.uu.se [Department of Chemistry, The Angstroem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Box 538, SE-751 21 Uppsala (Sweden)

2012-12-15

The crystal structures of hydrogenated and unhydrogenated Sc(Al{sub 1-x}Ni{sub x}){sub 2} Laves phases have been studied by combining several diffraction techniques and it is shown that hydrogen is situated interstitially in the A{sub 2}B{sub 2}-sites, which have the maximum number of scandium neighbours. The hydrogen absorption/desorption behaviour has also been investigated. It is shown that a solid solution of hydrogen forms in the mother compound. The hydrogen storage capacity exceeds 1.7 H/f.u. at 374 K, and the activation energy of hydrogen desorption was determined to 4.6 kJ/mol H{sub 2}. It is shown that these compounds share the same local coordination as Frank-Kasper-type approximants and quasicrystals, which opens up the possibility of finding many new hydride phases with these types of crystal structures. - Graphical abstract: The structure of ScNiAlDx, Sc atoms are shown in purple and Ni/Al atoms in blue and the iso-surfaces of deuterium in yellow. Revealed from refinements of neutron powder diffraction data. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The crystal structure of ScNiAl and ScNiAlDx is reported. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We show the hydrogen storage properties of Sc(Al{sub 1-x}Ni{sub x}){sub 2}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We discuss the possibility to store hydrogen in quasicrystals.

Disposition of actinides released from high-level waste glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebert, W.L.; Bates, J.K.; Buck, E.C.; Gong, M.; Wolf, S.F.

1994-01-01

The disposition of actinide elements released from high-level waste glasses into a tuff groundwater in laboratory tests at 90 degrees C at various glass surface area/leachant volume ratios (S/V) between dissolved, suspended, and sorbed fractions has been measured. While the maximum release of actinides is controlled by the corrosion rate of the glass matrix, their solubility and sorption behavior affects the amounts present in potentially mobile phases. Actinide solubilities are affected by the solution pH and the presence of complexants released from the glass, such as sulfate, phosphate, and chloride, radiolytic products, such as nitrate and nitrite, and carbonate. Sorption onto inorganic colloids formed during lass corrosion may increase the amounts of actinides in solution, although subsequent sedimentation of these colloids under static conditions leads to a significant reduction in the amount of actinides in solution. The solution chemistry and observed actinide behavior depend on the S/V of the test. Tests at high S/V lead to higher pH values, greater complexant concentrations, and generate colloids more quickly than tests at low S/V. The S/V also affects the rate of glass corrosion

Intermetallic-Based High-Temperature Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikka, V.K.

1999-04-25

The intermetallic-based alloys for high-temperature applications are introduced. General characteristics of intermetallics are followed by identification of nickel and iron aluminides as the most practical alloys for commercial applications. An overview of the alloy compositions, melting processes, and mechanical properties for nickel and iron aluminizes are presented. The current applications and commercial producers of nickel and iron aluminizes are given. A brief description of the future prospects of intermetallic-based alloys is also given.

Chemical factors controlling actinide sorption in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beall, G.W.; Allard, B.

1979-01-01

The solid geologic media and the aqueous phase are of equal importance for the retention of actinides in the environment. The composition of the water is largely determined by the mineralogical composition of the rock that it is in equilibrium with. The chemical form of the actinides and their sorption, are highly dependent on the composition of the water with respect to pH, redox potential, and concentration of anions like carbonate, phosphate, fluoride, and organic acids

Theoretical energy release of thermites, intermetallics, and combustible metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, S.H.; Grubelich, M.C.

1998-06-01

Thermite (metal oxide) mixtures, intermetallic reactants, and metal fuels have long been used in pyrotechnic applications. Advantages of these systems typically include high energy density, impact insensitivity, high combustion temperature, and a wide range of gas production. They generally exhibit high temperature stability, and possess insensitive ignition properties. In this paper, the authors review the applications, benefits, and characteristics of thermite mixtures, intermetallic reactants, and metal fuels. Calculated values for reactant density, heat of reaction (per unit mass and per unit volume), and reaction temperature (without and with consideration of phase changes and the variation of specific heat values) are tabulated. These data are ranked in several ways, according to density, heat of reaction, reaction temperature, and gas production.

SOLVENT EXTRACTION PROCESS FOR SEPARATING ACTINIDE AND LANTHANIDE METAL VALUES

Science.gov (United States)

Hildebrandt, R.A.; Hyman, H.H.; Vogler, S.

1962-08-14

A process of countercurrently extracting an aqueous mineral acid feed solution for the separation of actinides from lanthanides dissolved therern is described. The feed solution is made acid-defrcient with alkali metal hydroxide prior to.contact with acid extractant; during extraction, however, acid is transferred from organic to aqueous solution and the aqueous solution gradually becomes acid. The acid-deficient phase ' of the process promotes the extraction of the actinides, while the latter acid phase'' of the process improves retention of the lanthanides in the aqueous solution. This provides for an improved separation. (AEC)

Atomic interaction of the MEAM type for the study of intermetallics in the Al–U alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pascuet, M.I. [CONICET, Avda. Rivadavia 1917, 1033 Buenos Aires (Argentina); Fernández, J.R., E-mail: julrfern@cnea.gov.ar [CONICET, Avda. Rivadavia 1917, 1033 Buenos Aires (Argentina); CAC-CNEA, Avda. Gral Paz 1499, 1650 Buenos Aires (Argentina); UNSAM, Avda. Gral Paz 1499, 1650 Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2015-12-15

Interaction for both pure Al and Al–U alloys of the MEAM type are developed. The obtained Al interatomic potential assures its compatibility with the details of the framework presently adopted. The Al–U interaction fits various properties of the Al{sub 2}U, Al{sub 3}U and Al{sub 4}U intermetallics. The potential verifies the stability of the intermetallic structures in a temperature range compatible with that observed in the phase diagram, and also takes into account the greater stability of these structures relative to others that are competitive in energy. The intermetallics are characterized by calculating elastic and thermal properties and point defect parameters. Molecular dynamics simulations show a growth of the Al{sub 3}U intermetallic in the Al/U interface in agreement with experimental evidence. - Highlights: • Potential parameters for Al and Al–U systems are obtained. • Intermetallics are characterized by calculating elastic and thermal properties. • Point defect diffusivities are calculated for the three intermetallics. • Growth of the Al{sub 3}U intermetallic is shown to occur in the Al/U interface as in the real alloy.

Effect of Mn and Fe on the Formation of Fe- and Mn-Rich Intermetallics in Al–5Mg–Mn Alloys Solidified Under Near-Rapid Cooling

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yulin; Huang, Gaoren; Sun, Yimeng; Zhang, Li; Huang, Zhenwei; Wang, Jijie; Liu, Chunzhong

2016-01-01

Mn was an important alloying element used in Al–Mg–Mn alloys. However, it had to be limited to a low level (Al–5Mg–Mn alloy with low Fe content (Al6(Fe,Mn) was small in size and amount. With increasing Mn content, intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn) increased, but in limited amount. In high-Fe-containing Al–5Mg–Mn alloys (0.5 wt % Fe), intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn) became the dominant phase, even in the alloy with low Mn content (0.39 wt %). Cooling rate played a critical role in the refinement of the intermetallics. Under near-rapid cooling, intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn) was extremely refined. Even in the high Mn and/or high-Fe-containing alloys, it still demonstrated fine Chinese script structures. However, once the alloy composition passed beyond the eutectic point, the primary intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn) phase displayed extremely coarse platelet-like morphology. Increasing the content of Fe caused intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn) to become the primary phase at a lower Mn content. PMID:28787888

Effect of Mn and Fe on the Formation of Fe- and Mn-Rich Intermetallics in Al-5Mg-Mn Alloys Solidified Under Near-Rapid Cooling.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Yulin; Huang, Gaoren; Sun, Yimeng; Zhang, Li; Huang, Zhenwei; Wang, Jijie; Liu, Chunzhong

2016-01-29

Mn was an important alloying element used in Al-Mg-Mn alloys. However, it had to be limited to a low level (Al-5Mg-Mn alloy with low Fe content (Al₆(Fe,Mn) was small in size and amount. With increasing Mn content, intermetallic Al₆(Fe,Mn) increased, but in limited amount. In high-Fe-containing Al-5Mg-Mn alloys (0.5 wt % Fe), intermetallic Al₆(Fe,Mn) became the dominant phase, even in the alloy with low Mn content (0.39 wt %). Cooling rate played a critical role in the refinement of the intermetallics. Under near-rapid cooling, intermetallic Al₆(Fe,Mn) was extremely refined. Even in the high Mn and/or high-Fe-containing alloys, it still demonstrated fine Chinese script structures. However, once the alloy composition passed beyond the eutectic point, the primary intermetallic Al₆(Fe,Mn) phase displayed extremely coarse platelet-like morphology. Increasing the content of Fe caused intermetallic Al₆(Fe,Mn) to become the primary phase at a lower Mn content.

Effect of Mn and Fe on the Formation of Fe- and Mn-Rich Intermetallics in Al–5Mg–Mn Alloys Solidified Under Near-Rapid Cooling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yulin Liu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Mn was an important alloying element used in Al–Mg–Mn alloys. However, it had to be limited to a low level (<1.0 wt % to avoid the formation of coarse intermetallics. In order to take full advantage of the benefits of Mn, research was carried out to investigate the possibility of increasing the content of Mn by studying the effect of cooling rate on the formation of Fe- and Mn-rich intermetallics at different content levels of Mn and Fe. The results indicated that in Al–5Mg–Mn alloy with low Fe content (<0.1 wt %, intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn was small in size and amount. With increasing Mn content, intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn increased, but in limited amount. In high-Fe-containing Al–5Mg–Mn alloys (0.5 wt % Fe, intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn became the dominant phase, even in the alloy with low Mn content (0.39 wt %. Cooling rate played a critical role in the refinement of the intermetallics. Under near-rapid cooling, intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn was extremely refined. Even in the high Mn and/or high-Fe-containing alloys, it still demonstrated fine Chinese script structures. However, once the alloy composition passed beyond the eutectic point, the primary intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn phase displayed extremely coarse platelet-like morphology. Increasing the content of Fe caused intermetallic Al6(Fe,Mn to become the primary phase at a lower Mn content.

Phase changes in superaustenitic steels after long-term annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svoboda, M.; Kroupa, A. [Inst. of Physics of Materials, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Brno (Czech Republic); Sopousek, J.; Vrest' al, J. [Inst. of Theoretical and Physical Chemistry, Masaryk Univ., Brno (Czech Republic); Miodownik, P. [Thermotech Ltd, The Surrey Research Park, Guildford (United Kingdom)

2004-11-01

A structural study was performed on the austenitic steels Avesta 254 SMO and Avesta 654 SMO after annealing at 700 C for 500, 3188, and 6170 h. Both Avesta steels initially show an unexpectedly large amount of the Laves phase, followed by a relatively slow development of the Sigma phase with equilibrium apparently not yet reached after 3188 h. Thermodynamic calculations confirm that the driving forces for alternative precipitates are very similar thus making it easy to form metastable precipitates that only change very slowly to the equilibrium state. TTT calculations also confirm that the Laves phase precipitates earlier than the Sigma phase as the temperature is lowered. (orig.)

Cerium intermetallics with TiNiSi-type structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Janka, Oliver; Niehaus, Oliver; Poettgen, Rainer [Muenster Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Anorganische und Analytische Chemie; Chevalier, Bernard [Bordeaux Univ. CNRS (UPR 9048), Pessac (France). Inst. de Chimie de la Matiere Condensee de Bordeaux (ICMCB)

2016-08-01

Intermetallic compounds with the equiatomic composition CeTX that crystallize with the orthorhombic TiNiSi-type structure can be synthesized with electron-rich transition metals (T) and X = Zn, Al, Ga, Si, Ge, Sn, As, Sb, and Bi. The present review focusses on the crystal chemistry and chemical bonding of these CeTX phases and on their physical properties, {sup 119}Sn and {sup 121}Sb Moessbauer spectra, high-pressure effects, hydrogenation reactions and the formation of solid solutions in order to elucidate structure-property relationships. This paper is the final one of a series of four reviews on equiatomic intermetallic cerium compounds [Part I: Z. Naturforsch. 2015, 70b, 289; Part II: Z. Naturforsch. 2015, 70b, 695; Part III: Z. Naturforsch. 2016, 71b, 165].

Actinides compounds for the transmutation: scientific contributions of american and japanese collaborations; Composes d'actinides pour la transmutation: apports scientifiques de collaborations americaines et japonaises

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raison, Ph.; Albiot, T

2000-07-01

This paper deals with the minor actinides transmutation and the scientific contribution of the ORNL and the JAERI. It presents researches on the Am-Zr-Y-O system in the framework of the heterogeneous reprocessing, the curium and pyrochlore structures, with the ORNL contribution and phase diagrams, data of Thermodynamics, actinides nitrides, with the JAERI. (A.L.B.)

Nuclear magnetic resonance and the question of 5F electron localization in the actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fradin, F.Y.

1976-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance results are presented for a number of NaCl-type compounds and cubic Laves-phase type compounds of uranium, neptunium, and plutonium. Special emphasis is placed on the Knight shift and spin-lattice relaxation time measurements and their interpretation in terms of localized or itinerant pictures of the 5Line integral electrons

Fabrication of U-Pu-Zr metallic fuel containing minor actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurata, Masaki; Sasahara, Akihiro; Inoue, Tadashi; Betti, M.; Babelot, J.F.; Spirlet, J.C.; Koch, L.

1997-01-01

Rods of UPuZr alloy containing 5% minor actinides, 2% minor actinides and 2% rare-earth elements, and 5% minor actinides and 5% rare-earth elements have been fabricated by casting in yttria molds. Parts of the ingots were cut off for quantitative analysis and the rods characterized to the required extent, which included measurement of length, weight, diameter, and bending. For selected samples, metallographic study was carried out to examine the dispersion of the various phases contained in the alloy. Finally, the rods were encapsulated in stainless steel pin with the UPuZr reference after sodium bonding for the irradiation study. (author)

Technical requirements for the actinide source-term waste test program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Phillips, M.L.F.; Molecke, M.A.

1993-10-01

This document defines the technical requirements for a test program designed to measure time-dependent concentrations of actinide elements from contact-handled transuranic (CH TRU) waste immersed in brines similar to those found in the underground workings of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This test program wig determine the influences of TRU waste constituents on the concentrations of dissolved and suspended actinides relevant to the performance of the WIPP. These influences (which include pH, Eh, complexing agents, sorbent phases, and colloidal particles) can affect solubilities and colloidal mobilization of actinides. The test concept involves fully inundating several TRU waste types with simulated WIPP brines in sealed containers and monitoring the concentrations of actinide species in the leachate as a function of time. The results from this program will be used to test numeric models of actinide concentrations derived from laboratory studies. The model is required for WIPP performance assessment with respect to the Environmental Protection Agency`s 40 CFR Part 191B.

Technical requirements for the actinide source-term waste test program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phillips, M.L.F.; Molecke, M.A.

1993-10-01

This document defines the technical requirements for a test program designed to measure time-dependent concentrations of actinide elements from contact-handled transuranic (CH TRU) waste immersed in brines similar to those found in the underground workings of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). This test program wig determine the influences of TRU waste constituents on the concentrations of dissolved and suspended actinides relevant to the performance of the WIPP. These influences (which include pH, Eh, complexing agents, sorbent phases, and colloidal particles) can affect solubilities and colloidal mobilization of actinides. The test concept involves fully inundating several TRU waste types with simulated WIPP brines in sealed containers and monitoring the concentrations of actinide species in the leachate as a function of time. The results from this program will be used to test numeric models of actinide concentrations derived from laboratory studies. The model is required for WIPP performance assessment with respect to the Environmental Protection Agency's 40 CFR Part 191B

Intermetallics Synthesis in the Fe–Al System via Layer by Layer 3D Laser Cladding

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Floran Missemer

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Intermetallide phase formation was studied in a powdered Fe–Al system under layer by layer laser cladding with the aim of fabricating the gradient of properties by means of changing the Fe–Al concentration ratio in the powder mixture from layer to layer. The relationships between the laser cladding parameters and the intermetallic phase structures in the consecutively cladded layers were determined. In order to study the structure formation an optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, measurement of microhardness, scanning electron microscopy (SEM with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX spectroscopy analysis were used after the laser synthesis of intermetallic compounds.

Itinerant ferromagnetism in actinide 5 f -electron systems: Phenomenological analysis with spin fluctuation theory

Science.gov (United States)

Tateiwa, Naoyuki; Pospíšil, Jiří; Haga, Yoshinori; Sakai, Hironori; Matsuda, Tatsuma D.; Yamamoto, Etsuji

2017-07-01

We have carried out an analysis of magnetic data in 69 uranium, 7 neptunium, and 4 plutonium ferromagnets with the spin fluctuation theory developed by Takahashi [Y. Takahashi, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 55, 3553 (1986), 10.1143/JPSJ.55.3553]. The basic and spin fluctuation parameters of the actinide ferromagnets are determined and the applicability of the spin fluctuation theory to actinide 5 f system has been discussed. Itinerant ferromagnets of the 3 d transition metals and their intermetallics follow a generalized Rhodes-Wohlfarth relation between peff/ps and TC/T0 , viz., peff/ps∝(TC/T0) -3 /2 . Here, ps, peff, TC, and T0 are the spontaneous and effective magnetic moments, the Curie temperature, and the width of spin fluctuation spectrum in energy space, respectively. The same relation is satisfied for TC/T0uranium and neptunium ferromagnets below (TC/T0)kink=0.32 ±0.02 , where a kink structure appears in relation between the two quantities. ps increases more weakly above (TC/T0)kink. A possible interpretation with the TC/T0 dependence of ps is given.

Actinide oxide photodiode and nuclear battery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sykora, Milan; Usov, Igor

2017-12-05

Photodiodes and nuclear batteries may utilize actinide oxides, such a uranium oxide. An actinide oxide photodiode may include a first actinide oxide layer and a second actinide oxide layer deposited on the first actinide oxide layer. The first actinide oxide layer may be n-doped or p-doped. The second actinide oxide layer may be p-doped when the first actinide oxide layer is n-doped, and the second actinide oxide layer may be n-doped when the first actinide oxide layer is p-doped. The first actinide oxide layer and the second actinide oxide layer may form a p/n junction therebetween. Photodiodes including actinide oxides are better light absorbers, can be used in thinner films, and are more thermally stable than silicon, germanium, and gallium arsenide.

Thermally unstable complexants/phosphate mineralization of actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nash, K.

1996-01-01

In situ immobilization is an approach to isolation of radionuclides from the hydrosphere that is receiving increasing attention. Rather than removing the actinides from contaminated soils, this approach transforms the actinides into intrinsically insoluble mineral phases resistant to leaching by groundwater. The principal advangates of this concept are the low cost and low risk of operator exposure and/or dispersion of the radionuclides to the wider environment. The challenge of this approach is toe accomplish the immobilization without causing collateral damage to the environment (the cure shouldn't be worse than the disease) and verification of system performance

Thermodynamic Properties of Actinides and Actinide Compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Konings, Rudy J. M.; Morss, Lester R.; Fuger, Jean

The necessity of obtaining accurate thermodynamic quantities for the actinide elements and their compounds was recognized at the outset of the Manhattan Project, when a dedicated team of scientists and engineers initiated the program to exploit nuclear energy for military purposes. Since the end of World War II, both fundamental and applied objectives have motivated a great deal of further study of actinide thermodynamics. This chapter brings together many research papers and critical reviews on this subject. It also seeks to assess, to systematize, and to predict important properties of the actinide elements, ions, and compounds, especially for species in which there is significant interest and for which there is an experimental basis for the prediction.

An Advanced TALSPEAK Concept for Separating Minor Actinides. Part 2. Flowsheet Test with Actinide-spiked Simulant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilden, Andreas [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Lumetta, Gregg J. [Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, DC, USA; Sadowski, Fabian [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Schmidt, Holger [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Schneider, Dimitri [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Gerdes, Markus [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Law, Jack D. [Aqueous Separations and Radiochemistry Department, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID, USA; Geist, Andreas [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal (INE), Karlsruhe, Germany; Bosbach, Dirk [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Modolo, Giuseppe [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie – und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany

2017-08-17

A solvent extraction system has been developed for separating trivalent actinides from lanthanides. This “Advanced TALSPEAK” system uses 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester to extract the lanthanides into a n-dodecane-based solvent phase, while the actinides are retained in a citrate-buffered aqueous phase by complexation to N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine-N,N',N'-triacetic acid. Batch distribution measurements indicate that the separation of americium from the light lanthanides decreases as the pH decreases. For example, the separation factor between La and Am increases from 2.5 at pH 2.0 to 19.3 at pH 3.0. However, previous investigations indicated that the extraction rates for the heavier lanthanides decrease with increasing pH. So, a balance between these two competing effects is required. An aqueous phase in which the pH was set at 2.6 was chosen for further process development because this offered optimal separation, with a minimum separation factor of ~8.4, based on the separation between La and Am. Centrifugal contactor single-stage efficiencies were measured to characterize the performance of the system under flow conditions.

Fatigue of superalloys and intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoloff, N.S.

1993-01-01

The fatigue behavior of intermetallic alloys and their composites is contrasted to that of nickel-base superalloys. The roles of microstructure and slip planarity are emphasized. Obstacles to use of intermetallics under cyclic loading conditions are described and future research directions are suggested

Use of two-phase aqueous systems based on water-soluble polymers in thin-layer and extraction chromatography for recovery and separtion of actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molochnikova, N.P.; Shkinev, V.M.; Myasoedov, B.F.

1995-01-01

The feasibility has been demonstrated of using two-phase aqueous systems based on water-soluble polymers, polyethylene glycol and dextran sulfate, in thin-layer and extraction chromatography for recovery and separation of actinides. A convenient method has been proposed for continuous recovery of 239 Np from 243 Am, originating from differences in sorption of tri- and pentavalent actinides from sulfate solutions containing potassium phosphotungstate by silica gel impregnated with polyethylene glycol. New plates for thin-layer chromatography using water-soluble polymers have been developed. These plates were used to study behavior of americium in various oxidation states in thin sorbent layers

The role of zinc on the chemistry of complex intermetallic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Weiwei [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2014-01-01

Combining experiments and electronic structure theory provides the framework to design and discover new families of complex intermetallic phases and to understand factors that stabilize both new and known phases. Using solid state synthesis and multiple structural determinations, ferromagnetic β-Mn type Co_8+xZn_12–x was analyzed for their crystal and electronic structures.

First principles electronic and thermal properties of some AlRE intermetallics

Science.gov (United States)

Srivastava, Vipul; Sanyal, Sankar P.; Rajagopalan, M.

2008-10-01

A study on structural and electronic properties of non-magnetic cubic B 2-type AlRE (RE=Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr and Lu) intermetallics has been done theoretically. The self-consistent tight binding linear muffin tin orbital method is used to describe the electronic properties of these intermetallics at ambient and at high pressure. These compounds show metallic behavior under ambient conditions. The variation of density of states under compression indicates some possibility of structural phase transformation in AlLa, AlCe and AlPr. Thermal properties like Debye temperature and Grüneisen constant are calculated at T=0 K and at ambient pressure within the Debye-Grüneisen model and compared with the others’ theoretical results. Our results are in good agreement. We have also performed a pressure-induced variation of Debye temperature and have found a decrease in Debye temperature around 40 kbar in AlRE (RE=La, Ce, Pr) intermetallics.

First principles electronic and thermal properties of some AlRE intermetallics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srivastava, Vipul [Department of Physics, Barkatullah University, Hoshangabad Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462 026 (India)], E-mail: vips73@yahoo.com; Sanyal, Sankar P. [Department of Physics, Barkatullah University, Hoshangabad Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462 026 (India); Rajagopalan, M. [Department of Physics, Anna University, Chennai-600 025 (India)

2008-10-01

A study on structural and electronic properties of non-magnetic cubic B{sub 2}-type AlRE (RE=Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr and Lu) intermetallics has been done theoretically. The self-consistent tight binding linear muffin tin orbital method is used to describe the electronic properties of these intermetallics at ambient and at high pressure. These compounds show metallic behavior under ambient conditions. The variation of density of states under compression indicates some possibility of structural phase transformation in AlLa, AlCe and AlPr. Thermal properties like Debye temperature and Grueneisen constant are calculated at T=0 K and at ambient pressure within the Debye-Grueneisen model and compared with the others' theoretical results. Our results are in good agreement. We have also performed a pressure-induced variation of Debye temperature and have found a decrease in Debye temperature around 40 kbar in AlRE (RE=La, Ce, Pr) intermetallics.

First principles electronic and thermal properties of some AlRE intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, Vipul; Sanyal, Sankar P.; Rajagopalan, M.

2008-01-01

A study on structural and electronic properties of non-magnetic cubic B 2 -type AlRE (RE=Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr and Lu) intermetallics has been done theoretically. The self-consistent tight binding linear muffin tin orbital method is used to describe the electronic properties of these intermetallics at ambient and at high pressure. These compounds show metallic behavior under ambient conditions. The variation of density of states under compression indicates some possibility of structural phase transformation in AlLa, AlCe and AlPr. Thermal properties like Debye temperature and Grueneisen constant are calculated at T=0 K and at ambient pressure within the Debye-Grueneisen model and compared with the others' theoretical results. Our results are in good agreement. We have also performed a pressure-induced variation of Debye temperature and have found a decrease in Debye temperature around 40 kbar in AlRE (RE=La, Ce, Pr) intermetallics

Strong, ductile, and thermally stable Cu-based metal-intermetallic nanostructured composites.

Science.gov (United States)

Dusoe, Keith J; Vijayan, Sriram; Bissell, Thomas R; Chen, Jie; Morley, Jack E; Valencia, Leopolodo; Dongare, Avinash M; Aindow, Mark; Lee, Seok-Woo

2017-01-09

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) and nanocrystalline metals (NMs) have been extensively investigated due to their superior strengths and elastic limits. Despite these excellent mechanical properties, low ductility at room temperature and poor microstructural stability at elevated temperatures often limit their practical applications. Thus, there is a need for a metallic material system that can overcome these performance limits of BMGs and NMs. Here, we present novel Cu-based metal-intermetallic nanostructured composites (MINCs), which exhibit high ultimate compressive strengths (over 2 GPa), high compressive failure strain (over 20%), and superior microstructural stability even at temperatures above the glass transition temperature of Cu-based BMGs. Rapid solidification produces a unique ultra-fine microstructure that contains a large volume fraction of Cu 5 Zr superlattice intermetallic compound; this contributes to the high strength and superior thermal stability. Mechanical and microstructural characterizations reveal that substantial accumulation of phase boundary sliding at metal/intermetallic interfaces accounts for the extensive ductility observed.

Phase equilibria of Al3(Ti,V,Zr) intermetallic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, S.I.; Han, S.Z.; Choi, S.K.; Lee, H.M.

1996-01-01

Trialuminides such as DO 22 -structured Al 3 Ti are promising candidates as potential materials for elevated temperature applications because of their attractive high temperature strength and excellent oxidation resistance along with their low density. However, in the tetragonal structure, slip systems are restricted due to low symmetry and the primary deformation mode is twinning. And, therefore, monolithic trialuminide compounds have been very impractical to be used as structural materials. When transition elements such as Ti, V and Zr which constitute trialuminides are alloyed in aluminum, they have low solubilities and low diffusion coefficients in the Al matrix. If precipitated as trialuminide intermetallics, they maintain a small lattice mismatch with the Al matrix, which reduces the interfacial energy between matrix and precipitates. As a result, these precipitates would have a large coarsening resistance in the matrix. As most of the previous works have been concentrated on the microstructural stability and mechanical properties, thermochemical properties will be treated in this work. In this study, phase equilibria and diagrams of Al 3 (Ti,V,Zr) systems will be experimentally determined and then thermodynamically analyzed with a hope to extend to the Al-Al 3 (Ti,V,Zr) composite system. This approach will then be used as a guide for alloy design of Al-Al 3 (Ti,V,Zr) composite system

Crystalline matrices for the immobilization of plutonium and actinides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, E.B.; Burakov, E.E.; Galkin, Ya.B.; Starchenko, V.A.; Vasiliev, V.G. [V.G. Khlopin Radium Institute, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

1996-05-01

The management of weapon plutonium, disengaged as a result of conversion, is considered together with the problem of the actinide fraction of long-lived high level radioactive wastes. It is proposed to use polymineral ceramics based on crystalline host-phases: zircon ZrSiO{sub 4} and zirconium dioxide ZrO{sub 2}, for various variants of the management of plutonium and actinides (including the purposes of long-term safe storage or final disposal from the human activity sphere). It is shown that plutonium and actinides are able to form with these phases on ZrSiO{sub 4} and ZrO{sub 2} was done on laboratory level by the hot pressing method, using the plasmochemical calcination technology. To incorporate simulators of plutonium into the structure of ZrSiO{sub 4} and ZrO{sub 2} in the course of synthesis, an original method developed by the authors as a result of studying the high-uranium zircon (Zr,U) SiO{sub 4} form Chernobyl {open_quotes}lavas{close_quotes} was used.

Heterogeneous all actinide recycling in LWR all actinide cycle closure concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tondinelli, Luciano

1980-01-01

A project for the elimination of transuranium elements (Waste Actinides, WA) by neutron transmutation is developed in a commercial BWR with U-Pu (Fuel Actinides, FA) recycle. The project is based on the All Actinide Cycle Closure concept: 1) closure of the 'back end' of the fuel cycle, U-Pu coprocessing, 2) waste actinide disposal by neutron transmutation. The reactor core consists of Pu-island fuel assemblies containing WAs in target pins. Two parallel reprocessing lines for FAs and WAs are provided. Mass balance, hazard measure, spontaneous activity during 10 recycles are calculated. Conclusions are: the reduction in All Actinide inventory achieved by Heterogeneous All Actinide Recycling is on the order of 83% after 10 recycles. The U235 enrichment needed for a constant end of cycle reactivity decreases for increasing number of recycles after the 4th recycle. A diffusion-burnup calculation of the pin power peak factors in the fuel assembly shows that design limits can be satisfied. A strong effort should be devoted to the solution of the problems related to high values of spontaneous emission by the target pins

Organophosphorus reagents in actinide separations: Unique tools for production, cleanup and disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nash, K. L.

2000-01-01

Interactions of actinide ions with phosphate and organophosphorus reagents have figured prominently in nuclear science and technology, particularly in the hydrometallurgical processing of irradiated nuclear fuel. Actinide interactions with phosphorus-containing species impact all aspects from the stability of naturally occurring actinides in phosphate mineral phases through the application of the bismuth phosphate and PUREX processes for large-scale production of transuranic elements to the development of analytical separation and environment restoration processes based on new organophosphorus reagents. In this report, an overview of the unique role of organophosphorus compounds in actinide production, disposal, and environment restoration is presented. The broad utility of these reagents and their unique chemical properties is emphasized

Proceedings of the symposium Actinides 2006 - Basic Science, Applications and Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blobaum, Kerri J.M.; Chandler, Elaine A.; Havela, Ladislav; Maple, M. Brian; Neu, Mary P.

2007-01-01

These proceedings from the September 2006 symposium includes papers presented on experimental and modeling work with the intention of broadening understanding of the field of actinide research. Actinides have gained attention recently because of their roles in the threat of nuclear terrorism (e.g., 'dirty bombs') and the use of nuclear power to offset fossil fuel consumption. Actinide science is the study of the elements with atomic numbers in the range of 90 to 103, which includes uranium and plutonium. Beyond the well-known nuclear reactions of these heavy radioactive metals, the large electron clouds with 5f electrons in the outer shell yield fascinating and complex chemistries, crystal structures, and physical properties. Traditionally, actinide research has been divided among three scientific disciplines: chemistry (nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry); physics (condensed matter physics and electronic structure); and materials science (metallurgy). Modern actinide research, however, has become an interdisciplinary blend of these traditional fields, and it also incorporates developing fields such as environmental chemistry and superconductivity. Improved scientific understanding of actinides is needed for development of materials for actinide detection and nuclear fuels, and for safer management of nuclear waste. Recently, there has been a resurgence of actinide science at national laboratories and universities. The current multidisciplinary approach to actinide science lays the groundwork for understanding the connection between the 5f electronic structure and observed chemical reactions and physical properties such as structural phase transformations and novel ground states. This work provides many opportunities for new researchers in actinide science. These proceedings gather 25 selected papers among the 53 presentations given at this symposium

Solidifying incongruently melting intermetallic phases as bulk single phases using the example of Al{sub 2}Cu and Q-phase in the Al-Mg-Cu-Si system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loeffler, Andrea [Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena (Germany); Groebner, Joachim; Hampl, Milan [Institute of Metallurgy, Clausthal University of Technology, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany); Engelhardt, Hannes [Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena (Germany); Schmid-Fetzer, Rainer [Institute of Metallurgy, Clausthal University of Technology, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany); Rettenmayr, Markus, E-mail: M.Rettenmayr@uni-jena.de [Institute of Materials Science and Technology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena (Germany)

2012-02-25

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Samples consisting of pure Al{sub 2}Cu and 95% Q-phase respectively were prepared. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Q-phase composition is Al{sub 17}Cu{sub 9}Mg{sub 44}Si{sub 30}, its solubility range is negligible. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Q-phase peritectic temperature was determined by DSC measurements as 703 Degree-Sign C. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A new thermodynamic dataset for the Q-phase has been assessed. - Abstract: Plane front directional solidification experiments were carried out for preparing incongruently melting intermetallic phases in the quaternary alloy system Al-Cu-Mg-Si, particularly the binary Al{sub 2}Cu phase and the quaternary phase ('Q-phase'). By this method, bulk samples that consist of only a single phase are generated. Sample sections consisting of 100% single phase Al{sub 2}Cu and of 95% Q-phase, respectively, were obtained. The composition of the Q-phase was measured by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The measured concentrations are close to the Al{sub 3}Cu{sub 2}Mg{sub 9}Si{sub 7} composition that has recently been predicted as most stable by ab initio calculations. A peritectic temperature of 703 Degree-Sign C for the reaction Q {yields} L + Mg{sub 2}Si + (Si) was determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). An optimization of the Calphad database was performed considering the measured composition and peritectic temperature. For validating the optimized database, Scheil calculations were performed and compared with the experimentally determined sequence of solidifying phases.

Actinides-1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-09-01

Abstracts of 134 papers which were presented at the Actinides-1981 conference are presented. Approximately half of these papers deal with electronic structure of the actinides. Others deal with solid state chemistry, nuclear physic, thermodynamic properties, solution chemistry, and applied chemistry

Actinides-1981

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1981-09-01

Abstracts of 134 papers which were presented at the Actinides-1981 conference are presented. Approximately half of these papers deal with electronic structure of the actinides. Others deal with solid state chemistry, nuclear physic, thermodynamic properties, solution chemistry, and applied chemistry.

The behavior during water-mineral interaction of britholite, an analogue of an apatite structured potential long-term actinide host phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chairat, C.; Oelkers, E.H.; Schott, J.; Harouiya, N.; Lartigue, J-E.; Guy, C.; Audubert, F

2004-07-01

Neodymium britholite (Ca{sub 9}Nd(PO{sub 4}){sub 5}SiO{sub 2}F{sub 2}) dissolution rates have been studied because it is an analogue for potential actinide waste hosts; it is believed that the behavior of Nd is representative of that of the actinide elements. Steady-state dissolution rates of britholite were measured in closed and open system reactors as a function of aqueous solution composition at 25 to 90 deg C. Measured britholite dissolution rates based on Ca, P, and F release are found to be close to corresponding apatite dissolution rates; these rates at 25 deg C decrease from 10-8 to 10-11 mol/m{sup 2}/s with increasing pH from 4 to 12. Measured Nd release rates are far slower than those of these other elements; Nd concentrations in solution appear to be in equilibrium with NdPO{sub 4}, which limits aqueous Nd concentrations to less than 10-12 mol/kg at near neutral conditions. By analogy, it appears likely that aqueous actinide release from analogous waste hosts will be similarly limited by the precipitation of sparingly soluble AcPO{sub 4} phases. (authors)

Subsurface interactions of actinide species and microorganisms : implications for the bioremediation of actinide-organic mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaszak, J.E.; Reed, D.T.; Rittmann, B.E.

1999-01-01

By reviewing how microorganisms interact with actinides in subsurface environments, we assess how bioremediation controls the fate of actinides. Actinides often are co-contaminants with strong organic chelators, chlorinated solvents, and fuel hydrocarbons. Bioremediation can immobilize the actinides, biodegrade the co-contaminants, or both. Actinides at the IV oxidation state are the least soluble, and microorganisms accelerate precipitation by altering the actinide's oxidation state or its speciation. We describe how microorganisms directly oxidize or reduce actinides and how microbiological reactions that biodegrade strong organic chelators, alter the pH, and consume or produce precipitating anions strongly affect actinide speciation and, therefore, mobility. We explain why inhibition caused by chemical or radiolytic toxicities uniquely affects microbial reactions. Due to the complex interactions of the microbiological and chemical phenomena, mathematical modeling is an essential tool for research on and application of bioremediation involving co-contamination with actinides. We describe the development of mathematical models that link microbiological and geochemical reactions. Throughout, we identify the key research needs

Subsurface interactions of actinide species and microorganisms : implications for the bioremediation of actinide-organic mixtures.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banaszak, J.E.; Reed, D.T.; Rittmann, B.E.

1999-02-12

By reviewing how microorganisms interact with actinides in subsurface environments, we assess how bioremediation controls the fate of actinides. Actinides often are co-contaminants with strong organic chelators, chlorinated solvents, and fuel hydrocarbons. Bioremediation can immobilize the actinides, biodegrade the co-contaminants, or both. Actinides at the IV oxidation state are the least soluble, and microorganisms accelerate precipitation by altering the actinide's oxidation state or its speciation. We describe how microorganisms directly oxidize or reduce actinides and how microbiological reactions that biodegrade strong organic chelators, alter the pH, and consume or produce precipitating anions strongly affect actinide speciation and, therefore, mobility. We explain why inhibition caused by chemical or radiolytic toxicities uniquely affects microbial reactions. Due to the complex interactions of the microbiological and chemical phenomena, mathematical modeling is an essential tool for research on and application of bioremediation involving co-contamination with actinides. We describe the development of mathematical models that link microbiological and geochemical reactions. Throughout, we identify the key research needs.

Magnetic properties of rare-earth intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirchmayr, H.

1978-01-01

A review is given of the concepts at present used to explain the magnetic properties of rare-earth intermetallics which have been the subject of numerous investigations in recent years. Rare-earth intermetallics with the formula Rsub(a)Bsub(b) are divided according to the magnetic moment of the B atom(s). If there is no magnetic moment present at the B-site, the exchange is only between the magnetic moments at the R-sites, which can only be of indirect character. One possible model is still the RKKY model, although it usually gives in practice only a qualitative description of the magnetic properties. Typical R-B compounds with the B-moment equal to zero are (for instance) the RA1 2 compounds, and related compounds such as the RZn and RCd compounds as well as compounds of the general formula RB 2 (B = Ni, Os, Ir, Pd, Ru or Rh). Of all intermetallics with nonzero B-moment, the R-3d intermetallics are the most important. These intermetallics can be formed with Mn, Fe, Co and Ni. In these systems there exist in principle three interactions, namely between the R-R, R-3d and 3d-3d atoms. The most important is usually the latter interaction. After a short discussion of the crystal structures which occur with R-3d intermetallics, the basic magnetic properties of R-3d intermetallics are presented. These properties are discussed with respect to the formation of a magnetic moment at the 3d site in the framework of present band theories. Special emphasis is given to a discussion of the localized or itinerant character of 3d electrons. (author)

Actinides compounds for the transmutation: scientific contributions of american and japanese collaborations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raison, Ph.; Albiot, T.

2000-01-01

This paper deals with the minor actinides transmutation and the scientific contribution of the ORNL and the JAERI. It presents researches on the Am-Zr-Y-O system in the framework of the heterogeneous reprocessing, the curium and pyrochlore structures, with the ORNL contribution and phase diagrams, data of Thermodynamics, actinides nitrides, with the JAERI. (A.L.B.)

Intermetallics as innovative CRM-free materials

Science.gov (United States)

Novák, Pavel; Jaworska, Lucyna; Cabibbo, Marcello

2018-03-01

Many of currently used technical materials cannot be imagined without the use of critical raw materials. They require chromium (e.g. in stainless and tool steels), tungsten and cobalt (tool materials, heat resistant alloys), niobium (steels and modern biomaterials). Therefore there is a need to find substitutes to help the European economy. A promising solution can be the application of intermetallics. These materials offer wide variety of interesting properties, such as high hardness and wear resistance or high chemical resistance. In this paper, the overview of possible substitute materials among intermetallics is presented. Intermetallics based on aluminides and silicides are shown as corrosion resistant materials, composites composed of ceramics in intermetallic matrix as possible tool materials. The manufacturing processes are being developed to minimize the disadvantages of these materials, mainly the room-temperature brittleness.

Photochemistry of the actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toth, L.M.; Bell, J.T.; Friedman, H.A.

1979-01-01

It has been found that all three major actinides have a useful variety of photochemical reactions which could be used to achieve a separations process that requires fewer reagents. Several features merit enumerating: (1) Laser photochemistry is not now as uniquely important in fuel reprocessing as it is in isotopic enrichment. The photochemistry can be successfully accomplished with conventional light sources. (2) The easiest place to apply photo-reprocessing is on the three actinides U, Pu, and Np. The solutions are potentially cleaner and more amenable to photoreactions. (3) Organic-phase photoreactions are probably not worth much attention because of the troublesome solvent redox chemistry associated with the photochemical reaction. (4) Upstream process treatment on the raffinate (dissolver solution) may never be too attractive since the radiation intensity precludes the usage of many optical materials and the nature of the solution is such that light transmission into it might be totally impossible

Subsurface interactions of actinide species and microorganisms. Implications for the bioremediation of actinide-organic mixtures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banaszak, J.E.; Rittmann, B.E.; Reed, D.T.

1999-01-01

By reviewing how microorganisms interact with actinides in subsurface environments, the way how bioremediation controls the fate of actinides is assessed. Actinides often are co-contaminants with strong organic chelators, chlorinated solvents, and fuel hydrocarbons. Bioremediation can immobilize the actinides, biodegrade the co-contaminants, or both. Actinides at the IV oxidation state are the least soluble, and microorganisms accelerate precipitation by altering the actinide's oxidation state or its speciation. The way how microorganisms directly oxidize or reduce actinides and how microbiological reactions that biodegrade strong organic chelators, alter the pH, and consume or produce precipitating anions strongly affect actinide speciation and, therefore, mobility is described. Why inhibition caused by chemical or radiolytic toxicities uniquely affects microbial reactions is explained. Due to the complex interactions of the microbiological and chemical phenomena, mathematical modeling is an essential tool for research on and application of bioremediation involving co-contamination with actinides. Development of mathematical models that link microbiological and geochemical reactions is described. Throughout, the key research needs are identified. (author)

Synchrotron radiation in transactinium research report of the workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-11-01

This report contains viewgraphs on the following topics. The advanced light source U8 undulator beamline, 20--300 eV; gas-phase actinide studies with synchrotron radiation; atomic structure calculations for heavy atoms; flux growth of single crystal uranium intermetallics: Extension to transuranics; x-ray absorption near-edge structure studies of actinide compounds; surface as a new stage for studying actinides: Theoretical study of the surface electronic structure of uranium; magnetic x-ray scattering experiments at resonant energies; beamline instruments for radioactive materials; the search for x-ray absorption magnetic circular dichroism in actinide materials: preliminary experiments using UFe[sub 2] and U-S; the laser plasma laboratory light source: a source of preliminary transuranic data; electron spectroscopy of heavy fermion actinide materials; study of thin layers of actinides. Present status and future use of synchrotron radiation; electronic structure and correlated-electron theory for actinide materials; and heavy fermion and kondo phenomena in actinide materials.

Synchrotron radiation in transactinium research report of the workshop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-11-01

This report contains viewgraphs on the following topics. The advanced light source U8 undulator beamline, 20--300 eV; gas-phase actinide studies with synchrotron radiation; atomic structure calculations for heavy atoms; flux growth of single crystal uranium intermetallics: Extension to transuranics; x-ray absorption near-edge structure studies of actinide compounds; surface as a new stage for studying actinides: Theoretical study of the surface electronic structure of uranium; magnetic x-ray scattering experiments at resonant energies; beamline instruments for radioactive materials; the search for x-ray absorption magnetic circular dichroism in actinide materials: preliminary experiments using UFe{sub 2} and U-S; the laser plasma laboratory light source: a source of preliminary transuranic data; electron spectroscopy of heavy fermion actinide materials; study of thin layers of actinides. Present status and future use of synchrotron radiation; electronic structure and correlated-electron theory for actinide materials; and heavy fermion and kondo phenomena in actinide materials.

Synchrotron radiation in transactinium research report of the workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-11-01

This report contains viewgraphs on the following topics. The advanced light source U8 undulator beamline, 20--300 eV; gas-phase actinide studies with synchrotron radiation; atomic structure calculations for heavy atoms; flux growth of single crystal uranium intermetallics: Extension to transuranics; x-ray absorption near-edge structure studies of actinide compounds; surface as a new stage for studying actinides: Theoretical study of the surface electronic structure of uranium; magnetic x-ray scattering experiments at resonant energies; beamline instruments for radioactive materials; the search for x-ray absorption magnetic circular dichroism in actinide materials: preliminary experiments using UFe 2 and U-S; the laser plasma laboratory light source: a source of preliminary transuranic data; electron spectroscopy of heavy fermion actinide materials; study of thin layers of actinides. Present status and future use of synchrotron radiation; electronic structure and correlated-electron theory for actinide materials; and heavy fermion and kondo phenomena in actinide materials

Partition of actinides and fission products between metal and molten salt phases: Theory, measurement, and application to IFR pyroprocess development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackerman, J.P.; Johnson, T.R.

1993-01-01

The chemical basis of Integral Fast Reactor fuel reprocessing (pyroprocessing) is partition of fuel, cladding, and fission product elements between molten LiCl-KCl and either a solid metal phase or a liquid cadmium phase. The partition reactions are described herein, and the thermodynamic basis for predicting distributions of actinides and fission products in the pyroprocess is discussed. The critical role of metal-phase activity coefficients, especially those of rare earth and the transuranic elements, is described. Measured separation factors, which are analogous to equilibrium constants but which involve concentrations rather than activities, are presented. The uses of thermodynamic calculations in process development are described, as are computer codes developed for calculating material flows and phase compositions in pyroprocessing

Partition of actinides and fission products between metal and molten salt phases: Theory, measurement, and application to IFR pyroprocess development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ackerman, J.P.; Johnson, T.R.

1993-10-01

The chemical basis of Integral Fast Reactor fuel reprocessing (pyroprocessing) is partition of fuel, cladding, and fission product elements between molten LiCl-KCl and either a solid metal phase or a liquid cadmium phase. The partition reactions are described herein, and the thermodynamic basis for predicting distributions of actinides and fission products in the pyroprocess is discussed. The critical role of metal-phase activity coefficients, especially those of rare earth and the transuranic elements, is described. Measured separation factors, which are analogous to equilibrium constants but which involve concentrations rather than activities, are presented. The uses of thermodynamic calculations in process development are described, as are computer codes developed for calculating material flows and phase compositions in pyroprocessing.

Actinide colloid generation in groundwater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.I.

1990-05-01

The progress made in the investigation of actinide colloid generation in groundwaters is summarized and discussed with particular examples relevant to an understanding of the migration behaviour of actinides in natural aquifer systems. The first part deals with the characterization of colloids: groundwater colloids, actinide real-colloids and actinide pseudocolloids. The second part concentrates on the generation processes and migration behaviour of actinide pseudocolloids, which are discussed with some notable experimental examples. Importance is stressed more on the chemical aspects of the actinide colloid generation in groundwater. This work is a contribution to the CEC project MIRAGE II, particularly, to research area: complexation and colloids. (orig.)

Program and presentations of the 33th Actinide Days

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-04-01

The 'Journees des Actinides' (JDA) is an annual conference which provides a forum for discussions on all aspects related to the chemical and physical properties of the actinides. At the 2003 meeting, mainly the following properties were discussed of actinides and a number of actinide compounds and complexes: crystal structure, crystal-phase transformations and transformation temperatures; electrical properties including superconductivity and superconducting transition temperatures; magnetic properties; specific heat and other thermodynamic properties; electronic structure, especially in condensed matter; chemical and physico-chemical properties. The relevant experimental techniques were also dealt with, such as neutron diffraction; X-ray diffraction, in particular using synchrotron radiation; photoemission techniques, electron microscopy and spectroscopy, etc. Altogether 96 contributions were presented, of which 42 were oral presentations and 54 poster presentations. A program of the meeting and texts of both type of presentations were published in electronic form in the PDF format. All contributions were inputted to INIS; the full text of the program and the presentations has been incorporated into the INIS collection of non-conventional literature on CD-ROM. (A.K.)

Actinides: from heavy fermions to plutonium metallurgy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.L.; Fisk, Z.; Hecker, S.S.

1984-01-01

The actinide elements mark the emergence of 5f electrons. The f electrons possess sufficiently unusual characteristics that their participation in atomic binding often result in dramatic changes in properties. This provides an excellent opportunity to study the question of localization of electrons; a question that is paramount in predicting the physical and chemical properties of d and f electron transition metals. The transition region between localized (magnetic) and itinerant (often superconducting) behavior provides for many interesting phenomena such as structural instabilities (polymorphism), spin fluctuations, mixed valences, charge density waves, exceptional catalytic activity and hydrogen storage. This region offers most interesting behavior such as that exhibited by the actinide compounds UBe 13 and UPt 3 . Both compounds are heavy-fermion superconductors in which both magnetic and superconducting behavior exist in the same electrons. The consequences of f-electron bonding (which appears greatest at Plutonium) show dramatic effects on phase stability, alloying behavior, phase transformations and mechanical behavior

The effect of actinides on the microstructural development in a metallic high-level nuclear waste form

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keiser, D. D., Jr.; Sinkler, W.; Abraham, D. P.; Richardson, J. W., Jr.; McDeavitt, S. M.

1999-10-25

Waste forms to contain material residual from an electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel have been developed by Argonne National Laboratory. One of these waste forms contains waste stainless steel (SS), fission products that are noble to the process (e.g., Tc, Ru, Pd, Rh), Zr, and actinides. The baseline composition of this metallic waste form is SS-15wt.% Zr. The metallurgy of this baseline alloy has been well characterized. On the other hand, the effects of actinides on the alloy microstructure are not well understood. As a result, SS-Zr alloys with added U, Pu, and/or Np have been cast and then characterized, using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and neutron diffraction, to investigate the microstructural development in SS-Zr alloys that contain actinides. Actinides were found to congregate non-uniformally in a Zr(Fe,Cr,Ni){sub 2+x} phase. Apparently, the actinides were contained in varying amounts in the different polytypes (C14, C15, and C36) of the Zr(Fe,Cr,Ni){sub 2+x} phase. Heat treatment of an actinide-containing SS-15 wt.% Zr alloy showed the observed microstructure to be stable.

TAILORING INORGANIC SORBENTS FOR SRS STRONTIUM AND ACTINIDE SEPARATIONS: MODIFIED MONOSODIUM TITANATE PHASE III FINAL REPORT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taylor-Pashow, K.; Hobbs, D.

2010-09-01

This document provides a final report of Phase III testing activities for the development of modified monosodium titanate (mMST), which exhibits improved strontium and actinide removal characteristics compared to the baseline MST material. The activities included characterization of the crystalline phases present at varying temperatures, solids settling characteristics, quantification of the peroxide content; evaluation of the post-synthesis gas release under different conditions; the extent of desorption of {sup 85}Sr, Np, and Pu under washing conditions; and the effects of age and radiation on the performance of the mMST. Key findings and conclusions include the following. The peroxide content of several mMST samples was determined using iodometric titration. The peroxide content was found to decrease with age or upon extended exposure to elevated temperature. A loss of peroxide was also measured after exposure of the material to an alkaline salt solution similar in composition to the simulated waste solution. To determine if the loss of peroxide with age affects the performance of the material, Sr and actinide removal tests were conducted with samples of varying age. The oldest sample (4 years and 8 months) did show lower Sr and Pu removal performance. When compared to the youngest sample tested (1 month), the oldest sample retained only 15% of the DF for Pu. Previous testing with this sample indicated no decrease in Pu removal performance up to an age of 30 months. No loss in Np removal performance was observed for any of the aged samples, and no uptake of uranium occurred at the typical sorbent loading of 0.2 g/L. Additional testing with a uranium only simulant and higher mMST loading (3.0 g/L) indicated a 10% increase of uranium uptake for a sample aged 3 years and 8 months when compared to the results of the same sample measured at an age of 1 year and 5 months. Performance testing with both baseline-MST and mMST that had been irradiated in a gamma source to

Application of feal intermetallic phase matrix based alloys in the turbine components of a turbocharger

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Cebulski

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a possible application of the state-of-the-art alloys based on the FeAl intermetallic phases as materials for the manufacture of heat-proof turbine components in an automobile turbocharger. The research was aimed at determining the resistance to corrosion of Fe40Al5CrTiB alloy in a gaseous environment containing 9 % O2 + 0,2 % HCl + 0,08 % SO2 + N2. First the kinetics of corrosion processes for the considered alloy were determined at the temperatures of 900 °C, 1 000 °C and 1 100 °C, which was followed by validation under operating conditions. To do so, the tests were carried out over a distance of 20 000 km. The last stage involved examination of the surfaces after the test drive. The obtained results are the basis for further research in this field.

Research in actinide chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choppin, G.R.

1993-01-01

This research studies the behavior of the actinide elements in aqueous solution. The high radioactivity of the transuranium actinides limits the concentrations which can be studied and, consequently, limits the experimental techniques. However, oxidation state analogs (trivalent lanthanides, tetravalent thorium, and hexavalent uranium) do not suffer from these limitations. Behavior of actinides in the environment are a major USDOE concern, whether in connection with long-term releases from a repository, releases from stored defense wastes or accidental releases in reprocessing, etc. Principal goal of our research was expand the thermodynamic data base on complexation of actinides by natural ligands (e.g., OH - , CO 3 2- , PO 4 3- , humates). The research undertakes fundamental studies of actinide complexes which can increase understanding of the environmental behavior of these elements

Recovery of actinides from actinide-aluminium alloys by chlorination: Part I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cassayre, L., E-mail: cassayre@chimie.ups-tlse.fr [Laboratoire de Genie Chimique (LGC), Departement Procedes Electrochimiques, CNRS-UMR 5503, Universite de Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, 31062 Toulouse (France); Soucek, P.; Mendes, E.; Malmbeck, R.; Nourry, C.; Eloirdi, R.; Glatz, J.-P. [European Commission, JRC, Institute for Transuranium Elements, Postfach 2340, 76125 Karlsruhe (Germany)

2011-07-01

Pyrochemical processes in molten LiCl-KCl are being developed in ITU for recovery of actinides from spent nuclear fuel. The fuel is anodically dissolved to the molten salt electrolyte and actinides are electrochemically reduced on solid aluminium cathodes forming solid actinide-aluminium alloys. A chlorination route is being investigated for recovery of actinides from the alloys. This route consists in three steps: Vacuum distillation for removal of the salt adhered on the electrode, chlorination of the actinide-aluminium alloys by chlorine gas and sublimation of the formed AlCl{sub 3}. A thermochemical study showed thermodynamic feasibility of all three steps. On the basis of the conditions identified by the calculations, experiments using pure UAl{sub 3} alloy were carried out to evaluate and optimise the chlorination step. The work was focused on determination of the optimal temperature and Cl{sub 2}/UAl{sub 3} molar ratio, providing complete chlorination of the alloy without formation of volatile UCl{sub 5} and UCl{sub 6}. The results showed high efficient chlorination at a temperature of 150 deg. C.

Recovery of actinides from actinide-aluminium alloys by chlorination: Part I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassayre, L.; Soucek, P.; Mendes, E.; Malmbeck, R.; Nourry, C.; Eloirdi, R.; Glatz, J.-P.

2011-01-01

Pyrochemical processes in molten LiCl-KCl are being developed in ITU for recovery of actinides from spent nuclear fuel. The fuel is anodically dissolved to the molten salt electrolyte and actinides are electrochemically reduced on solid aluminium cathodes forming solid actinide-aluminium alloys. A chlorination route is being investigated for recovery of actinides from the alloys. This route consists in three steps: Vacuum distillation for removal of the salt adhered on the electrode, chlorination of the actinide-aluminium alloys by chlorine gas and sublimation of the formed AlCl 3 . A thermochemical study showed thermodynamic feasibility of all three steps. On the basis of the conditions identified by the calculations, experiments using pure UAl 3 alloy were carried out to evaluate and optimise the chlorination step. The work was focused on determination of the optimal temperature and Cl 2 /UAl 3 molar ratio, providing complete chlorination of the alloy without formation of volatile UCl 5 and UCl 6 . The results showed high efficient chlorination at a temperature of 150 deg. C.

The influence of the magnetic state on the thermal expansion in 1:2 rare earth intermetallic compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gratz, E.; Lindbaum, A.

1994-01-01

The attempt is made to demonstrate on some selected rare earth intermetallics the influence of the magnetic state on the thermal expansion. Using the X-ray powder diffraction method we investigated the thermal expansion of some selected nonmagnetic compounds (YAl 2 , YNi 2 and YCo 2 ) and some magnetic RE (rare earth) - cobalt compounds (RCo 2 ) in the temperature range from 4 up to 450 K. All these compounds crystallize in the C15-type structure (cubic Laves phase structure). By comparing the nonmagnetic Y-based compounds we could show that there is an enhanced contribution of the 3d electrons to the thermal expansion in YCo 2 . In the magnetic RCo 2 compounds the induced 3d magnetism gives rise to large volume anomalies at the magnetic ordering temperature T c . Below T c there is in addition a distortion of the cubic unit cell due to the interaction of the magnetically ordered RE ions with the anisotropic crystal field.The thermal expansion of the orthorhombic TmCu 2 , GdCu 2 and YCu 2 compounds has also been investigated for comparison. The influence of the crystal field on the thermal expansion in TmCu 2 in the paramagnetic range (TmCu 2 orders magnetically at T N =6.3 K) has been determined by comparing the thermal expansion of the nonmagnetic YCu 2 with that of TmCu 2 . The data thus obtained are compared with a theoretical model. GdCu 2 , for which the influence of the crystal field can be neglected, has been investigated in order to study the influence of the exchange interaction in the magnetically ordered state (below 42 K). ((orig.))

Effects of ductile phase volume fraction on the mechanical properties of Ti-Al3Ti metal-intermetallic laminate (MIL) composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, Richard D.; Jiang Fengchun; Kulin, Robb M.; Vecchio, Kenneth S.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Residual Al improves the mechanical properties of Ti-Al 3 Ti MIL composites. → Residual Al can eliminate intermetallic centerline delaminations in MILs. → Low levels of residual Al increase fracture toughness in MIL composites. → MIL stiffness, strength, and fracture toughness can be optimized at low Al levels. - Abstract: Metal-intermetallic laminate (MIL) composites consisting of alternating layers of Ti, Al, and the intermetallic Al 3 Ti have been fabricated by reactive foil sintering in open air. Six initially identical stacks of alternating Ti-3Al-2.5 V and 1100-Al foils were processed for different lengths of time, yielding specimens with different metal and intermetallic volume fractions. Their mechanical properties have been investigated with an emphasis on the effect of residual Al at the intermetallic centerline on composite strength and fracture toughness, as well as fracture and failure modes. Samples were cut from each composite plate (in layer orientations parallel and perpendicular to the intended load direction) for mechanical testing in compression and four-point bending under quasi-static and high-rate loading conditions. Examination of the damaged specimens and their fracture surfaces by optical and scanning electron microscopy was performed to establish a correlation between the failure mechanisms present, composite strength, and microstructure. Results indicated that regardless of loading direction, cracks always initiated in the intermetallic region, rarely at the centerline, and crack propagation and failure were heavily influenced by the thickness of the residual aluminum layers. There is an ideal residual aluminum volume fraction that represents the amount of ductile reinforcement that maximizes the combined properties of strength, toughness and stiffness.

Mechanism of forming interfacial intermetallic compounds at interface for solid state diffusion bonding of dissimilar materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

He, P.; Liu, D.

2006-01-01

The formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the interfaces of diffusion bonds is the main cause which leads to poor bond strength. Therefore, it is very important to study and establish the formation and growth model of intermetallic compounds at the interfaces for the control process of diffusion bonding. In this paper, according to the diffusion kinetics and the thermodynamics, the principle of formation of intermetallic compounds at interfaces in the multi-component diffusion couple, the flux-energy principle, is put forward. In the light of diffusion theory, the formation capacity of the phase at the interfaces is determined by specific properties of the composition in the diffusion couple and the composition ratio of the formed phase is in agreement with the diffusion flux. In accordance with the flux-energy principle, the microstructure of the Ni/TC4 interface is Ni/TiNi 3 /TiNi/Ti 2 Ni/TC4, the microstructure of the TC4/00Cr18Ni9Ti interface is 00Cr18Ni9Ti/TiFe 2 /TiFe/Ti 2 Fe/TC4, and the microstructure of the TiAl/40Cr interface is 40Cr/TiC/Ti 3 Al + FeAl + FeAl 2 /TiAl. Multi-intermetallic compounds with the equivalent flux-energy can be formed at the interfaces at the same time

Actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinot, L.; Fuger, J.

1985-01-01

The oxidation behavior of the actinides is explained on the basis of their electronic structure. The actinide elements, actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium, curium, berkelium, californium, einsteinium, fermium, mendelevium, nobelium, and laurencium are included. For all except the last three elements, the points of discussion are oxidation states, Gibbs energies and potentials, and potential diagram for the element in acid solution; and thermodynamic properties of these same elements are tabulated. References are cited following discussion of each element with a total of 97 references being cited. 13 tables

Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Mo–40Ni–13Si Multiphase Intermetallic Alloy

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Chunyan; Wang, Shuhuan; Gui, Yongliang; Cheng, Zihao; Ni, Guolong

2016-01-01

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to be utilized in tribological environments, but to date their implementation is hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperatures. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo–40Ni–13Si (at %). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of a ternary Mo–Ni–Si molten alloy, which is beneficial to the improvement of ductility of intermetallic alloys. Tribological properties of the designed alloy—including wear resistance, friction coefficient, and metallic tribological compatibility—were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggest that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent tribological property, which is attributed to unique microstructural features and thereby a good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is explained by observing the worn surface, subsurface, and wear debris of the alloy, which was found to be soft abrasive wear. PMID:28774106

Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Mo-40Ni-13Si Multiphase Intermetallic Alloy.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Chunyan; Wang, Shuhuan; Gui, Yongliang; Cheng, Zihao; Ni, Guolong

2016-12-06

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to be utilized in tribological environments, but to date their implementation is hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperatures. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo-40Ni-13Si (at %). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of a ternary Mo-Ni-Si molten alloy, which is beneficial to the improvement of ductility of intermetallic alloys. Tribological properties of the designed alloy-including wear resistance, friction coefficient, and metallic tribological compatibility-were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggest that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent tribological property, which is attributed to unique microstructural features and thereby a good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is explained by observing the worn surface, subsurface, and wear debris of the alloy, which was found to be soft abrasive wear.

Microstructure and Tribological Properties of Mo–40Ni–13Si Multiphase Intermetallic Alloy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunyan Song

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to be utilized in tribological environments, but to date their implementation is hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperatures. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo–40Ni–13Si (at %. Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of a ternary Mo–Ni–Si molten alloy, which is beneficial to the improvement of ductility of intermetallic alloys. Tribological properties of the designed alloy—including wear resistance, friction coefficient, and metallic tribological compatibility—were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggest that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent tribological property, which is attributed to unique microstructural features and thereby a good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is explained by observing the worn surface, subsurface, and wear debris of the alloy, which was found to be soft abrasive wear.

The solidification and structure of Al-17wt.%Si alloy modified with intermetallic phases containing Ti and Fe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Piątkowski

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The article describes the process of casting and solidification of Al-17wt.%Si alloy that have been modified with composite powdercontaining the intermetallic phases of Ti and Fe. The chemical and phase composition of the applied modifier was described with thefollowingformula:FeAlx–TiAlx–Al2O3. Applying the method of thermal analysis ATD, the characteristic parameters of the solidificationprocess were determined, and exo-and endothermic effects of the modifying powder on the run of the silumin solidification curves wereobserved. By the methods of light, scanning, and X-ray microscopy, the structure of alloy and the chemical composition of the dispersionhardening precipitates were examined. A change in the morphology of Al-Si eutectic from the lamellar to fibrous type was reportedtogether with changes in the form of complex eutectics of an Al-Si-Ti and Al-Si-Fe type and size reduction of primary silicon crystals.

Effect of intermetallic precipitation on the properties of multi passed duplex stainless steel weldment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bae, Seong Han [Technology research institute, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hae Woo [Dong-A University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2014-01-15

This study investigated the effect of the aging time of weldment of 24Cr-3.5Mo duplex stainless steel on the microstructure and corrosion behavior. After performing FCAW, we carried out heat treatments at varying times at 850 ℃ and performed observation of microstructure, potentio dynamic test, SEM-EDS analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis. As the aging time increased, the fraction of δ-ferrite decreased sharply, but the fraction of γ slightly increased. The σ phase was generated at a non-metallic inclusion along the grain boundaries of δ-ferrite and γ, while the χ phase was generated in the structure of δ-ferrite. As the intermetallic compounds increased, the critical pitting potential fell sharply, and PREN of the surrounding structure decreased by 5 due to precipitation of the σ phase in 3.5% NaCl at 60 ℃. Pitting occurred intensively under a multi-pass line which relatively had more intermetallic compounds, and the precipitation of the σ phase caused the formation of Cr carbide.

Effect of intermetallic precipitation on the properties of multi passed duplex stainless steel weldment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bae, Seong Han; Lee, Hae Woo

2014-01-01

This study investigated the effect of the aging time of weldment of 24Cr-3.5Mo duplex stainless steel on the microstructure and corrosion behavior. After performing FCAW, we carried out heat treatments at varying times at 850 ℃ and performed observation of microstructure, potentio dynamic test, SEM-EDS analysis, and X-ray diffraction analysis. As the aging time increased, the fraction of δ-ferrite decreased sharply, but the fraction of γ slightly increased. The σ phase was generated at a non-metallic inclusion along the grain boundaries of δ-ferrite and γ, while the χ phase was generated in the structure of δ-ferrite. As the intermetallic compounds increased, the critical pitting potential fell sharply, and PREN of the surrounding structure decreased by 5 due to precipitation of the σ phase in 3.5% NaCl at 60 ℃. Pitting occurred intensively under a multi-pass line which relatively had more intermetallic compounds, and the precipitation of the σ phase caused the formation of Cr carbide.

Amorphization of Laves-Phase Precipitates in Zircaloy-4 by Neutron Irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peters, H.R.; Taylor, D.F.; Yang, Walter J.S.

1999-04-23

Examination of corrosion coupons by transmission electron microscopy after their exposure in the Idaho Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) has broadened the Zircaloy-4 precipitate-amorphization database and validated a new kinetic model for previously unavailable values of temperature and fast-neutron flux. The model describes the amorphization of Zr(Fe,Cr){sub 2} intermetallic precipitates in zirconium alloys as a dynamic competition between radiation damage and thermal annealing that leaves some iron atoms available for flux-assisted diffusion to the zirconium matrix. It predicts the width of the amorphous zone as a function of neutron flux (E>1 MeV), temperature, and time. In its simplest form, the model treats the crystalline/amorphous and precipitate/matrix interfaces as parallel planes, and its accuracy decreases for small precipitates and high fluence as the amorphous-zone width approaches precipitate dimensions. The simplest form of the model also considers diffusion to be rate-determining. This is an accurate approximation for steady-state conditions or slow changes in flux and temperature, but inappropriate for the analysis of faster transients. The paper addresses several difficulties inherent in measuring amorphous-zone width, and utilizes the expanded database to evaluate the improvements in predictive accuracy available through both conversion of the model to spherical coordinates and extension of its time dependency.

Last fra kornede materialer på begrænsningsvægge i lave lagerbygninger

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, S.

Rapporten indeholder forudsætninger og retningslinier for den statiske beregning af lave lagerbygninger, fx. plansiloer i landbruget. I to hovedkapitler gives data og formler til lastbestemmelse som grundlag for brudundersøgelse og deformationsundersøgelse, samt et eksempel på lastberegning....

Study of the structure and development of the set of reference materials of composition and structure of heat resisting nickel and intermetallic alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. B. Chabina

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Relevance of research: There are two sizes (several microns and nanodimensional of strengthening j'-phase in single-crystal heat resisting nickel and intermetallic alloys, used for making blades of modern gas turbine engines (GTD. For in-depth study of structural and phase condition of such alloys not only qualitative description of created structure is necessary, but quantitative analysis of alloy components geometrical characteristics. Purpose of the work: Development of reference material sets of heat resisting nickel and intermetallic alloy composition and structure. Research methods: To address the measurement problem of control of structural and geometrical characteristics of single-crystal heat resisting and intermetallic alloys by analytical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis the research was carried out using certified measurement techniques on facilities, entered in the Register of Measurement Means of the Russian Federation. The research was carried out on microsections, foils and plates, cut in the plane {100}. Results: It is established that key parameters, defining the properties of these alloys are particle size of strengthening j' -phase, the layer thickness of j-phase between them and parameters of phases lattice. Metrological requirements for reference materials of composition and structure of heat resisting nickel and intermetallic alloys are formulated. The necessary and sufficient reference material set providing the possibility to determine the composition and structure parameters of single-crystal heat resisting nickel and intermetallic alloys is defined. The developed RM sets are certified as in-plant reference materials. Conclusion: The reference materials can be used for graduation of spectral equipment when conducting element analysis of specified class alloys; for calibration of means of measuring alloy structure parameters; for measurement of alloys phases lattice parameters; for structure reference pictures

Heat resistance of Fe-Al intermetallics in the context of selected heat-resistant and hihg-temperature creep resistant steels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Baranowski

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Results are hereby presented of heat-resistance tests of two Fe3Al and FeAl intermetallic phase-based alloys in the context of St41k-typeboiler steel and 50H21G9N4 high-temperature creep resistant steel. It has been ascertained that heat resistance of the 50H21G9N4 steeland of the Fe3Al and FeAl intermetallic phase-based alloys significantly exceeds that of the boiler steel tested in the air atmosphere and the atmosphere of a flue gas with CO, CO2, SiO2 content alike. Improvement of these properties depends of exposure conditions. The largest differences have been observed when the tests were carried out in temperature 1023 K and in the flue gas atmosphere. The differences have been more and more noticeable as the exposition duration extended. A tendency has been also recorded of smaller mass decrements of the Fe3Al and FeAl intermetallic phase-based alloys as compared to the 50H21G9N4 steel.

Discontinuously reinforced intermetallic matrix composites via XD synthesis. [exothermal dispersion

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, K. S.; Whittenberger, J. D.

1992-01-01

A review is given of recent results obtained for discontinuously reinforced intermetallic matrix composites produced using the XD process. Intermetallic matrices investigated include NiAl, multiphase NiAl + Ni2AlTi, CoAl, near-gamma titanium aluminides, and Ll2 trialuminides containing minor amounts of second phase. Such mechanical properties as low and high temperature strength, compressive and tensile creep, elastic modulus, ambient ductility, and fracture toughness are discussed as functions of reinforcement size, shape, and volume fraction. Microstructures before and after deformation are examined and correlated with measured properties. An observation of interest in many of the systems examined is 'dispersion weakening' at high temperatures and high strain rates. This behavior is not specific to the XD process; rather similar observations have been reported in other discontinuous composites. Proposed mechanisms for this behavior are presented.

The effect of high pressures on actinide metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benedict, U.

1987-01-01

The solid state properties of the actinides are controlled by the dualism of the localized and itinerant (delocalized) configuration of the 5f electrons. This dualism allows to define two main subgroups. At ambient pressures the first subgroup, of elements with atomic number 91 to 94, is characterized by 5f electrons in an itinerant state and the second subgroup, atomic number 95 to 98, by 5f electrons in a localized state. The latter means that these electrons have well defined energy levels and do not contribute to the metallic bond. The other two subgroups consist of thorium, as a subgroup of its own because its 5f levels are practically unoccupied in the ground state configuration, and of the five heaviest elements with atomic number 99 to 103. The most remarkable effect of pressure on the actinide metals is that due to closer contact between the lattice atoms, localized 5f electrons can become itinerant, hybridise with the conduction electrons and participate in the metallic bond. In this chapter the high-pressure structural behaviour of actinide metals is reviewed. Section 3 gives an introduction into the techniques of generating and measuring pressure and of determining various physical properties of the actinides under pressure and describes a few high-pressure devices and methods. Sections 4 to 7 treat the high-pressure results for each subgroup separately. In section 8 the results of the preceding sections are brought together in a graphical representation which consists of interconnecting binary phase diagrams of neighbouring actinide metals. 155 refs.; 14 figs.; 7 tabs. (H.W.)

Comparison of the thermodynamic properties and high temperature chemical behavior of lanthanide and actinide oxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackermann, R.J.; Rauh, E.G.

1977-01-01

The thermodynamic properties of the lanthanide and actinide oxides are examined, compared, and associated with a variety of high temperature chemical behavior. Trends are cited resulting from a number of thermodynamic and spectroscopic correlations involving solid phases, species in aqueous solution, and molecules and ions in the vapor phase. Inadequacies in the data and alternative approaches are discussed. The characterization of nonstoichiometric phases stable only at high temperatures is related to a network of heterogeneous and homogeneous equilibria. A broad perspective of similarity and dissimilarity between the lanthanides and actinides emerges and forms the basis of the projected needs for further study

Advanced Aqueous Separation Systems for Actinide Partitioning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nash, Ken [Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA (United States); Martin, Leigh [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lumetta, Gregg [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2015-04-02

One of the most challenging aspects of advanced processing of used nuclear fuel is the separation of transplutonium actinides from fission product lanthanides. This separation is essential if actinide transmutation options are to be pursued in advanced fuel cycles, as lanthanides compete with actinides for neutrons in both thermal and fast reactors, thus limiting efficiency. The separation is difficult because the chemistry of Am3+ and Cm3+ is nearly identical to that of the trivalent lanthanides (Ln3+). The prior literature teaches that two approaches offer the greatest probability of devising a successful group separation process based on aqueous processes: 1) the application of complexing agents containing ligand donor atoms that are softer than oxygen (N, S, Cl-) or 2) changing the oxidation state of Am to the IV, V, or VI state to increase the essential differences between Am and lanthanide chemistry (an approach utilized in the PUREX process to selectively remove Pu4+ and UO22+ from fission products). The latter approach offers the additional benefit of enabling a separation of Am from Cm, as Cm(III) is resistant to oxidation and so can easily be made to follow the lanthanides. The fundamental limitations of these approaches are that 1) the soft(er) donor atoms that interact more strongly with actinide cations than lanthanides form substantially weaker bonds than oxygen atoms, thus necessitating modification of extraction conditions for adequate phase transfer efficiency, 2) soft donor reagents have been seen to suffer slow phase transfer kinetics and hydro-/radiolytic stability limitations and 3) the upper oxidation states of Am are all moderately strong oxidants, hence of only transient stability in media representative of conventional aqueous separations systems. There are examples in the literature of both approaches having been described. However, it is not clear at present that any extant process is sufficiently robust for application at the scale

Method of production multifilamentary intermetallic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marancik, W.G.; Young, M.S.

1980-01-01

A method of making A-15 type intermetallic superconductors is disclosed which features elimination of numerous annealing steps. Nb or V filaments are embedded in Cu matrices; annular layers of Sn or Ga, respectively, separated from each other by Cu layers, provide the other component of the intermetallic superconductors Nb3Sn and V3Ga

Structural and functional intermetallics - an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varin, R.A.

2000-01-01

This overview presents the current status of the research and development of both structural and functional intermetallics. On the one hand, the discussion is focused on commercialization and existing industrial applications of intermetallics. Within this frame the applications of titanium aluminides (TiAl) for turbocharger rotors and exhaust valves in automotive industry are being discussed. Advances in the applications of TiAl alloys for the next generation of turbine blades in aerospace/aircraft segment are also presented. The entire spectrum of nickel and iron aluminide alloys developed commercially by the Oak Ridge national Laboratory (USA) and the examples of their application in various segments of industry are thoroughly discussed. Some inroads made in the application of directionally solidified (DS) multiphase niobium silicides (Nb 3 Si+Nb 5 Si 3 ) in situ intermetallic composites with the goal of pushing the service temperature envelope of turbine blades to ∼ 1200-1300 o C are also discussed. On the other hand, various topics in basic or curiosity driven research of titanium aluminides and trialuminides, iron aluminides and high temperature structural silicides are discussed. Some very recent findings on the improvements in fracture toughness and strength of titanium trialuminides and magnetic behaviour of unconventionally cold - worked iron aluminides are highlighted. The topic of functional intermetallics is limited to the systems must suitable for hydrogen storage applications. A perspective on the directions of future research and development of intermetallics is also provided. (author)

Synroc tailored waste forms for actinide immobilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gregg, Daniel J.; Vance, Eric R. [Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Kirrawee (Australia). ANSTOsynroc, Inst. of Materials Engineering

2017-07-01

Since the end of the 1970s, Synroc at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) has evolved from a focus on titanate ceramics directed at PUREX waste to a platform waste treatment technology to fabricate tailored glass-ceramic and ceramic waste forms for different types of actinide, high- and intermediate level wastes. The particular emphasis for Synroc is on wastes which are problematic for glass matrices or existing vitrification process technologies. In particular, nuclear wastes containing actinides, notably plutonium, pose a unique set of requirements for a waste form, which Synroc ceramic and glass-ceramic waste forms can be tailored to meet. Key aspects to waste form design include maximising the waste loading, producing a chemically durable product, maintaining flexibility to accommodate waste variations, a proliferation resistance to prevent theft and diversion, and appropriate process technology to produce waste forms that meet requirements for actinide waste streams. Synroc waste forms incorporate the actinides within mineral phases, producing products which are much more durable in water than baseline borosilicate glasses. Further, Synroc waste forms can incorporate neutron absorbers and {sup 238}U which provide criticality control both during processing and whilst within the repository. Synroc waste forms offer proliferation resistance advantages over baseline borosilicate glasses as it is much more difficult to retrieve the actinide and they can reduce the radiation dose to workers compared to borosilicate glasses. Major research and development into Synroc at ANSTO over the past 40 years has included the development of waste forms for excess weapons plutonium immobilization in collaboration with the US and for impure plutonium residues in collaboration with the UK, as examples. With a waste loading of 40-50 wt.%, Synroc would also be considered a strong candidate as an engineered waste form for used nuclear fuel and highly

The effect of microstructure and temperature on the oxidation behavior of two-phase Cr-Cr2X (X=Nb,Ta) alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brady, M.P.; Tortorelli, P.F.

1998-01-01

The oxidation behavior of Cr(X) solid solution (Cr ss ) and Cr 2 X Laves phases (X = Nb, Ta) was studied individually and in combination at 950--1,100 C in air. The Cr ss phase was significantly more oxidation resistant than the Cr 2 X Laves phase. At 950 C, two-phase alloys of Cr-Cr 2 Nb and Cr-Cr 2 Ta exhibited in-situ internal oxidation, in which remnants of the Cr 2 X Laves phase were incorporated into a growing chromia scale. At 1,100 C, the Cr-Cr 2 Nb alloys continued to exhibit in-situ internal oxidation, which resulted in extensive O/N penetration into the alloy ahead of the alloy-scale interface and catastrophic failure during cyclic oxidation. IN contrast, the Cr-Cr 2 Ta alloys exhibited a transition to selective Cr oxidation and the formation of a continuous chromia scale. The oxidation mechanism is interpreted in terms of multiphase oxidation theory

Actinide recycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Till, C; Chang, Y [Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL (United States)

1990-07-01

A multitude of studies and assessments of actinide partitioning and transmutation were carried out in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Probably the most comprehensive of these was a study coordinated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The conclusions of this study were that only rather weak economic and safety incentives existed for partitioning and transmuting the actinides for waste management purposes, due to the facts that (1) partitioning processes were complicated and expensive, and (2) the geologic repository was assumed to contain actinides for hundreds of thousands of years. Much has changed in the few years since then. A variety of developments now combine to warrant a renewed assessment of the actinide recycle. First of all, it has become increasingly difficult to provide to all parties the necessary assurance that the repository will contain essentially all radioactive materials until they have decayed. Assurance can almost certainly be provided to regulatory agencies by sound technical arguments, but it is difficult to convince the general public that the behavior of wastes stored in the ground can be modeled and predicted for even a few thousand years. From this point of view alone there would seem to be a clear benefit in reducing the long-term toxicity of the high-level wastes placed in the repository.

Actinide recycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, C.; Chang, Y.

1990-01-01

A multitude of studies and assessments of actinide partitioning and transmutation were carried out in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Probably the most comprehensive of these was a study coordinated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The conclusions of this study were that only rather weak economic and safety incentives existed for partitioning and transmuting the actinides for waste management purposes, due to the facts that (1) partitioning processes were complicated and expensive, and (2) the geologic repository was assumed to contain actinides for hundreds of thousands of years. Much has changed in the few years since then. A variety of developments now combine to warrant a renewed assessment of the actinide recycle. First of all, it has become increasingly difficult to provide to all parties the necessary assurance that the repository will contain essentially all radioactive materials until they have decayed. Assurance can almost certainly be provided to regulatory agencies by sound technical arguments, but it is difficult to convince the general public that the behavior of wastes stored in the ground can be modeled and predicted for even a few thousand years. From this point of view alone there would seem to be a clear benefit in reducing the long-term toxicity of the high-level wastes placed in the repository

Structural and Electronic Investigations of Complex Intermetallic Compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ko, Hyunjin [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2008-01-01

structures of these and related materials. Such calculations allow us to examine various interactions at the atomic scale, interactions which include orbital overlap, two-electron interactions, and Madelung terms. Moreover, these electronic studies also provide links between the angstrom-scale atomic interactions and the macro-scale physical properties, such as magnetism. Over the past few decades, there have been many significant developments toward understanding structure-bonding-property relationships in extended solids in terms of variables including atomic size, valence electron concentration, and electronegativity. However, many simple approaches based on electron counting, e.g., the octet rule, the 18-electron rule, or Wade's rules for boranes, cannot be applied adequately or universally to many of the more complex intermetallic compounds. For intermetallic phases that include late transition metals and post transition main group elements as their constituents, one classification scheme has been developed and effectively applied by using their valence electron count per atom (vec). These compounds are known as Hume-Rothery electron phases, and they have a variety of structure types with vec < 2.0 as shown in Table 1.

Design and screening of nanoprecipitates-strengthened advanced ferritic alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Lizhen [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Yang, Ying [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Chen, Tianyi [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Sridharan, K. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); He, Li [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2016-12-30

Advanced nuclear reactors as well as the life extension of light water reactors require advanced alloys capable of satisfactory operation up to neutron damage levels approaching 200 displacements per atom (dpa). Extensive studies, including fundamental theories, have demonstrated the superior resistance to radiation-induced swelling in ferritic steels, primarily inherited from their body-centered cubic (bcc) structure. This study aims at developing nanoprecipitates strengthened advanced ferritic alloys for advanced nuclear reactor applications. To be more specific, this study aims at enhancing the amorphization ability of some precipitates, such as Laves phase and other types of intermetallic phases, through smart alloying strategy, and thereby promote the crystalline®amorphous transformation of these precipitates under irradiation.

Large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of shock waves in Laves crystals and icosahedral quasicrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, Johannes

2002-01-01

Quasicrystals and ordinary crystals both possess long-range translational order. But quasicrystals are aperiodic since their symmetry is non-crystallographic. The aim of this project is to study the behavior of shock waves in periodic and aperiodic structures and to compare the results. The expectation is that new types of defects are generated in the aperiodic materials. The materials studied are two models of (AlCu)Li quasicrystals and the C15 Laves phase, a low-order approximant of the quasicrystals. An elastic wave is found in the simulations up to a piston velocity of about up < 0.25 cl. Between 0.5 < up/cl < 0.5 the slope of elastic wave velocity slows down, and a new plastic wave is observed. Extended defect are generated, but no simple two-dimensional walls. The defect bands have finite width and a disordered structure. If the crystal is quenched a polycrystalline phase is obtained. For the quasicrystal the transformation is more complex since ring processes occur in the elastic regime already. Starting at about up < 0.5 cl a single plastic shock wave is observed. In this range all structures are destroyed completely

Phase Composition of a CrMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr High Entropy Alloy: Comparison of Experimental and Simulated Data

OpenAIRE

Fan Zhang; Oleg N. Senkov; Jonathan D. Miller

2013-01-01

Microstructure and phase composition of a CrMo0.5NbTa0.5TiZr high entropy alloy were studied in the as-solidified and heat treated conditions. In the as-solidified condition, the alloy consisted of two disordered BCC phases and an ordered cubic Laves phase. The BCC1 phase solidified in the form of dendrites enriched with Mo, Ta and Nb, and its volume fraction was 42%. The BCC2 and Laves phases solidified by the eutectic-type reaction, and their volume fractions were 27% and 31%, respectively....

Recent development in computational actinide chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jun

2008-01-01

Ever since the Manhattan project in World War II, actinide chemistry has been essential for nuclear science and technology. Yet scientists still seek the ability to interpret and predict chemical and physical properties of actinide compounds and materials using first-principle theory and computational modeling. Actinide compounds are challenging to computational chemistry because of their complicated electron correlation effects and relativistic effects, including spin-orbit coupling effects. There have been significant developments in theoretical studies on actinide compounds in the past several years. The theoretical capabilities coupled with new experimental characterization techniques now offer a powerful combination for unraveling the complexities of actinide chemistry. In this talk, we will provide an overview of our own research in this field, with particular emphasis on applications of relativistic density functional and ab initio quantum chemical methods to the geometries, electronic structures, spectroscopy and excited-state properties of small actinide molecules such as CUO and UO 2 and some large actinide compounds relevant to separation and environment science. The performance of various density functional approaches and wavefunction theory-based electron correlation methods will be compared. The results of computational modeling on the vibrational, electronic, and NMR spectra of actinide compounds will be briefly discussed as well [1-4]. We will show that progress in relativistic quantum chemistry, computer hardware and computational chemistry software has enabled computational actinide chemistry to emerge as a powerful and predictive tool for research in actinide chemistry. (authors)

Actinide Biocolloid Formation in Brine by Halophilic Bacteria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.V.; Papenguth, H.W.

1999-07-28

We examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WFP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell Surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited volubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellulary as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide.

Actinide biocolloid formation in brine by halophilic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.B.; Papenguth, H.W.

1998-01-01

The authors examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WIPP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited solubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellularly as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide

Actinide biocolloid formation in brine by halophilic bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.V.; Papenguth, H.W.

1999-01-01

The authors examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WIPP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited solubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellularly as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide

Actinide Biocolloid Formation in Brine by Halophilic Bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.; Dodge, C.J.; Harris, R.; Beveridge, T.J.; Brady, P.V.; Papenguth, H.W.

1999-01-01

We examined the ability of a halophilic bacterium (WFP 1A) isolated from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) site to accumulate uranium in order to determine the potential for biocolloid facilitated actinide transport. The bacterial cell Surface functional groups involved in the complexation of the actinide were determined by titration. Uranium, added as uranyl nitrate, was removed from solution at pH 5 by cells but at pH 7 and 9 very little uranium was removed due to its limited volubility. Although present as soluble species, uranyl citrate at pH 5, 7, and 9, and uranyl carbonate at pH 9 were not removed by the bacterium because they were not bioavailable due to their neutral or negative charge. Addition of uranyl EDTA to brine at pH 5, 7, and 9 resulted in the immediate precipitation of U. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that uranium was not only associated with the cell surface but also accumulated intracellulary as uranium-enriched granules. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis, of the bacterial cells indicated the bulk sample contained more than one uranium phase. Nevertheless these results show the potential for the formation of actinide bearing bacterial biocolloids that are strictly regulated by the speciation and bioavailability of the actinide

Discovery of Intermetallic Compounds from Traditional to Machine-Learning Approaches.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliynyk, Anton O; Mar, Arthur

2018-01-16

Intermetallic compounds are bestowed by diverse compositions, complex structures, and useful properties for many materials applications. How metallic elements react to form these compounds and what structures they adopt remain challenging questions that defy predictability. Traditional approaches offer some rational strategies to prepare specific classes of intermetallics, such as targeting members within a modular homologous series, manipulating building blocks to assemble new structures, and filling interstitial sites to create stuffed variants. Because these strategies rely on precedent, they cannot foresee surprising results, by definition. Exploratory synthesis, whether through systematic phase diagram investigations or serendipity, is still essential for expanding our knowledge base. Eventually, the relationships may become too complex for the pattern recognition skills to be reliably or practically performed by humans. Complementing these traditional approaches, new machine-learning approaches may be a viable alternative for materials discovery, not only among intermetallics but also more generally to other chemical compounds. In this Account, we survey our own efforts to discover new intermetallic compounds, encompassing gallides, germanides, phosphides, arsenides, and others. We apply various machine-learning methods (such as support vector machine and random forest algorithms) to confront two significant questions in solid state chemistry. First, what crystal structures are adopted by a compound given an arbitrary composition? Initial efforts have focused on binary equiatomic phases AB, ternary equiatomic phases ABC, and full Heusler phases AB 2 C. Our analysis emphasizes the use of real experimental data and places special value on confirming predictions through experiment. Chemical descriptors are carefully chosen through a rigorous procedure called cluster resolution feature selection. Predictions for crystal structures are quantified by evaluating

Actinide isotopic analysis systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koenig, Z.M.; Ruhter, W.D.; Gunnink, R.

1990-01-01

This manual provides instructions and procedures for using the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's two-detector actinide isotope analysis system to measure plutonium samples with other possible actinides (including uranium, americium, and neptunium) by gamma-ray spectrometry. The computer program that controls the system and analyzes the gamma-ray spectral data is driven by a menu of one-, two-, or three-letter options chosen by the operator. Provided in this manual are descriptions of these options and their functions, plus detailed instructions (operator dialog) for choosing among the options. Also provided are general instructions for calibrating the actinide isotropic analysis system and for monitoring its performance. The inventory measurement of a sample's total plutonium and other actinides content is determined by two nondestructive measurements. One is a calorimetry measurement of the sample's heat or power output, and the other is a gamma-ray spectrometry measurement of its relative isotopic abundances. The isotopic measurements needed to interpret the observed calorimetric power measurement are the relative abundances of various plutonium and uranium isotopes and americium-241. The actinide analysis system carries out these measurements. 8 figs

Advanced Silicon Carbide from Molecular Engineering and Actinide Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer, D.J.M.; Garcia, J.; Guillaneux, D.; Wong-Chi-Man, M.; Moreau, J.J.E.

2008-01-01

In the frame of nuclear fuels studies for generation IV, carbides or oxycarbides assemblies are one of the engaged material for high temperature reactors. The design of the fuels is not yet defined but some structures are actually considered with SiC as matrix for the actinide fuel. In this work we have studied the synthesis of a multi-scale structure controlled SiC matrix using molecular silicon organometallic precursors. The aim of this work was to develop a way to obtain multi-scale SiC matrix material which could be engineered to fit in any fuel structure defined for generation IV fuels. The control of this multi-scale structure was done using several simulation methods specific of the low temperature solution synthesis of the precursor. In a first step, we have focused our effort on the synthesis of the SiC material. A first level of template was successfully done by the use of solid silica 500 nm balls. A second level of template was studied by the use of meso-porous silica, structured at a 50 nm level. At least, supra-molecular simulation in non aqueous media was considered with the difficulty to build a molecular assembly (inverse micelles). In a second step, we have functionalized the primary silane phase with actinide complexing agent in order to blend directly the actinide inside this primary phase in a controlled way. During these studies, a new one pot synthesis route to obtain the functionalized primary silane phase was developed. (authors)

Actinide recovery techniques utilizing electromechanical processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, B.R.; Benedict, R.W.

1994-01-01

Under certain conditions, the separation of actinides using electromechanical techniques may be an effective means of residue processing. The separation of granular mixtures of actinides and other materials is based on appreciable differences in the magnetic and electrical properties of the actinide elements. In addition, the high density of actinides, particularly uranium and plutonium, may render a simultaneous separation based on mutually complementary parameters. Both high intensity magnetic separation and electrostatic separation have been investigated for the concentration of an actinide waste stream. Waste stream constituents include an actinide metal alloy and broken quartz shards. The investigation of these techniques is in support of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept currently being developed at Argonne National Laboratory under the auspices of the Department of Energy

ACTINET: a European Network for Actinide Sciences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard Boullis; Pascal Chaix

2006-01-01

Full text of publication follows: The research in Actinide sciences appear as a strategic issue for the future of nuclear systems. Sustainability issues are clearly in connection with the way actinide elements are managed (either addressing saving natural resource, or decreasing the radiotoxicity of the waste). The recent developments in the field of minor actinide P and T offer convincing indications of what could be possible options, possible future processes for the selective recovery of minor actinides. But they point out, too, some lacks in the basic understanding of key-issues (such as for instance the control An versus Ln selectivity, or solvation phenomena in organic phases). Such lacks could be real obstacles for an optimization of future processes, with new fuel compounds and facing new recycling strategies. This is why a large and sustainable work appears necessary, here in the field of basic actinide separative chemistry. And similar examples could be taken from other aspects of An science, for various applications (nuclear fuel or transmutation targets design, or migration issues,): future developments need a strong, enlarged, scientific basis. The Network ACTINET, established with the support of the European Commission, has the following objectives: - significantly improve the accessibility of the major actinide facilities to the European scientific community, and form a set of pooled facilities, as the corner-stone of a progressive integration process, - improve mobility between the member organisations, in particular between Academic Institutions and National Laboratories holding the pooled facilities, - merge part of the research programs conducted by the member institutions, and optimise the research programs and infrastructure policy via joint management procedures, - strengthen European excellence through a selection process of joint proposals, and reduce the fragmentation of the community by putting critical mass of resources and expertise on

The liquidus surface of the Cr–Al–Nb system and re-investigation of the Cr–Nb and Al–Cr phase diagrams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stein, F.; He, C.; Wossack, I.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Liquidus surface and reaction scheme of the Cr–Al–Nb system experimentally determined. • Solidification paths of the ternary alloys derived from as-cast microstructures. • Compositions and temperatures of the invariant points. • Revised versions of the phase diagrams of the Cr–Nb and Al–Cr boundary systems. - Abstract: The liquidus surface and corresponding reaction scheme of the ternary Cr–Al–Nb system were determined experimentally. The solidification paths of a series of more than 40 ternary alloys were deduced from investigation of their as-cast microstructures and measurement of all reaction temperatures applying scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The hexagonal C14-type Laves phase Nb(Cr,Al) 2 , which is not stable in any of the binary boundary systems and which is the only ternary compound, forms the most extended primary crystallization field of the ternary system dominating the centre of the liquidus surface. A ternary eutectic was found near the Al–Nb boundary composed of the three intermetallic phases C14 + Nb 2 Al + NbAl 3 . Besides the ternary liquidus surface, the solidus and liquidus curves of the Cr–Nb boundary system and of the Cr-rich part of the Al–Cr system were determined resulting in revised binary phase diagrams

Intermetallics: past, present and future

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morris, D. G.

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Intermetallics have seen extensive world-wide attention over the past decades. For the most part these studies have examined multi-phase aluminide based alloys, because of their high stiffness, combined with reasonable strength and ductility, good structural stability and oxidation resistance, and attempted to improve current Ni-base superalloys, Ti-base alloys, or Fe-base stainless steels for structural aerospace applications. The current status of development and application of such materials is briefly reviewed. Future developments are taking intermetallics from the realm of "improved high-temperature but low-ductility metallic alloys" into the realm of "improved aggressive-environment, high-toughness ceramic-like alloys". Such evolution will be outlined.

Durante los últimos décadas ha habido un desarrollo de los intermetálicos, sobre todo por aplicaciones estructurales a alta temperatura en aplicaciones aeroespaciales, donde, por su rigidez alta, en combinación con una resistencia mecánica y ductilidad razonable, su buena estabilidad estructural y resistencia a la oxidación, han sido vistos como versiones avanzadas y mejoradas de las aleaciones metálicas como, por ejemplo, las superaleaciones a base de nitrógeno y las aleaciones de titanio. Se discute el desarrollo importante durante las últimas décadas, y también los nuevos desarrollos probables durante los próximos años. Se podrían ver los intermetálicos como versiones mejoradas de los cerámicos.

Recovery of actinides from TBP-Na2Co3 scrub-waste solutions: the ARALEX process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horwitz, E.P.; Bloomquist, C.A.A.; Mason, G.W.; Leonard, R.A.; Ziegler, A.A.

1979-08-01

A flowsheet for the recovery of actinides from TBP-Na 2 CO 3 scrub-waste solutions has been developed, based on batch extraction data, and tested, using laboratory-scale countercurrent extraction techniques. The process, called the ARALEX process, uses 2-ethyl-1-hexanol (2-EHOH) to extract the TBP degradation products (HDBP and H 2 MBP) from acidified Na 2 CO 3 scrub waste leaving the actinides in the aqueous phase. Dibutyl and monobutyl phosphoric acids are attached to the 2-EHOH molecules through hydrogen bonds, which also diminish the ability of the HDBP and H 2 MBP to complex actinides. Thus all actinides remain in the aqueous raffinate. Dilute sodium hydroxide solutions can be used to back-extract the dibutyl and monobutyl phosphoric acid esters as their sodium salts. The 2-EHOH can then be recycled. After extraction of the acidified carbonate waste with 2-EHOH, the actinides may be readily extracted from the raffinate with DHDECMP or, in the case of tetra- and hexavalent actinides, with TBP. The ARALEX process can also be applied to other actinide waste streams which contain appreciable concentrations of polar organic compounds (e.g., detergents) that interfere with conventional actinide ion exchange and liquid-liquid extraction procedures. 20 figures, 6 tables

Criteria for achieving actinide reduction goals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liljenzin, J.O.

1996-01-01

In order to discuss various criteria for achieving actinide reduction goals, the goals for actinide reduction must be defined themselves. In this context the term actinides is interpreted to mean plutonium and the so called ''minor actinides'' neptunium, americium and curium, but also protactinium. Some possible goals and the reasons behind these will be presented. On the basis of the suggested goals it is possible to analyze various types of devices for production of nuclear energy from uranium or thorium, such as thermal or fast reactors and accelerator driven system, with their associated fuel cycles with regard to their ability to reach the actinide reduction goals. The relation between necessary single cycle burn-up values, fuel cycle processing losses and losses to waste will be defined and discussed. Finally, an attempt is made to arrange the possible systems on order of performance with regard to their potential to reduce the actinide inventory and the actinide losses to wastes. (author). 3 refs, 3 figs, 2 tabs

Intermetallic alloys: Deformation, mechanical and fracture behaviour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dogan, B.

1988-01-01

The state of the art in intermetallic alloys development with particular emphasis on deformation, mechanical and fracture behaviour is documented. This review paper is prepared to lay the ground stones for a future work on mechanical property characterization and fracture behaviour of intermetallic alloys at GKSS. (orig.)

Investigation of waste form materials suitable for immobilizing actinide elements in high-level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayakawa, Issei; Kamizono, Hiroshi

1992-07-01

The microstructure of waste form materials suitable for immobilizing actinide elements can be classified into the following two categories. (1) Actinide elements are immobilized in an crystallized matrix after the formation of solid solution or compounds. (2) Actinide elements are immobilized in a durable material by encapsulation. Based on crystal chemistry, durability data, phase diagrams, compositions of natural minerals, eleven oxide compounds and one non-oxide compound are pointed out to be new candidates included in category (1). The other survey on material compositions, manufacturing conditions and feasibility shows that SiC, glassy carbon, ZrO 2 , Ti-O-Si-C ceramics are preferable matrix materials included in category (2). Polymers and fine powders are suitable as starting materials for the encapsulation of actinide elements because of their excellent sinterability. (author) 50 refs

Progress in Visualizing Atomic Size Effects with DFT-Chemical Pressure Analysis: From Isolated Atoms to Trends in AB5 Intermetallics.

Science.gov (United States)

Berns, Veronica M; Engelkemier, Joshua; Guo, Yiming; Kilduff, Brandon J; Fredrickson, Daniel C

2014-08-12

constraints. In approaching this challenge, we have developed a scheme for allocating the grid pressures to contacts inspired by the Hirshfeld charge analysis. Here, each voxel is allocated to the contact between the two atoms whose free atom electron densities show the largest values at that position. In this way, the differing sizes of atoms are naturally included in the division of space without resorting to empirical radii. The use of the improved DFT-CP method is illustrated through analyses of the applicability of radius ratio arguments to Laves phase structures and the structural preferences of AB5 intermetallics between the CaCu5 and AuBe5 structure types.

Actinides: why are they important biologically

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durbin, P.W.

1978-01-01

The following topics are discussed: actinide elements in energy systems; biological hazards of the actinides; radiation protection standards; and purposes of actinide biological research with regard to toxicity, metabolism, and therapeutic regimens

Colloidal products and actinide species in leachate from spent nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, P.A.; Buck, E.C.; Gong, M.; Hoh, J.C.; Emery, J.W.; Hafenrichter, L.D.; Bates, J.K.

1993-01-01

Two well-characterized types of spent nuclear fuel (ATM-103 and ATM-106) were subjected to unsaturated leach tests with simulated groundwater at 90 degrees C. The actinides present in the leachate were determined at the end of two successive periods of ∼60 days and after an acid strip done at the end of the second period. Both colloidal and soluble actinide species were detected in the leachates which had pHs ranging from 4 to 7. The uranium phases identified in the colloids were schoepite and soddyite. In addition, the actinide release behavior of the two fuels appeared to be different for both the total amount of material released and the relative amount of each isotope released. This paper will focus on the detection and identification of the colloidal species observed in the leachate that was collected after each of the first two successive testing periods of approximately 60 days each. In addition, preliminary values for the total actinide release for these two periods are reported

Actinide recovery techniques utilizing electromechanical processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westphal, B.R.; Benedict, R.W.

1994-01-01

Under certain conditions, the separation of actinides using electromechanical techniques may be an effective means of residue processing. The separation of granular mixtures of actinides and other materials discussed in this report is based on appreciable differences in the magnetic and electrical properties of the actinide elements. In addition, the high density of actinides, particularly uranium and plutonium, may render a simultaneous separation based on mutually complementary parameters. Both high intensity magnetic separation and electrostatic separation have been investigated for the concentration of an actinide waste stream. Waste stream constituents include an actinide metal alloy and broken quartz shards. The investigation of these techniques is in support of the Integral Fast Reactor (IFR) concept currently being developed at Argonne National Laboratory under the auspices of the Department of Energy

Functionalized ionic liquids: new agents for the extraction of actinides/lanthanides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ouadi, A.; Hesemann, P.; Billard, I.; Gaillard, C.; Gadenne, B.; Moreau, Joel J.E; Moutiers, G.; Mariet, C.; Labet, A.

2004-01-01

The potentialities of hydrophobic ionic liquids BumimPF 6 and BumimTf 2 N for their use in the nuclear fuel cycle were investigated, in particular for the liquid liquid extraction. We demonstrate that the use of RTILs in replacement of the organic diluents for actinides partitioning is promising. In our contribution, we present the synthesis of several task-specific ionic liquids. Our results show that grafting metal complexing groups increases the affinity of metals to the IL phase and gives rise to suitable media for the liquid-liquid extraction of actinides. (authors)

Novel Nanocrystalline Intermetallic Coatings for Metal Alloys in Coal-fired Environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Z. Zak Fang; H. Y. Sohn

2009-08-31

Intermetallic coatings (iron aluminide and nickel aluminide) were prepared by a novel reaction process. In the process, the aluminide coating is formed by an in-situ reaction between the aluminum powder fed through a plasma transferred arc (PTA) torch and the metal substrate (steel or Ni-base alloy). Subjected to the high temperature within an argon plasma zone, aluminum powder and the surface of the substrate melt and react to form the aluminide coatings. The prepared coatings were found to be aluminide phases that are porosity-free and metallurgically bonded to the substrate. The coatings also exhibit excellent high-temperature corrosion resistance under the conditions which simulate the steam-side and fire-side environments in coal-fired boilers. It is expected that the principle demonstrated in this process can be applied to the preparation of other intermetallic and alloy coatings.

Research on the chemical speciation of actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Euo Chang; Park, K. K.; Cho, H. R.

2010-04-01

A demand for the safe and effective management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant draws increasing attention with the growth of nuclear power industry. The objective of this project is to establish the basis of research on the actinide chemistry by using advanced laser-based highly sensitive spectroscopic systems. Researches on the chemical speciation of actinides are prerequisite for the development of technologies related to nuclear fuel cycles, especially, such as the safe management of high level radioactive wastes and the chemical examination of irradiated nuclear fuels. For supporting these technologies, laser-based spectroscopies have been performed for the chemical speciation of actinide in an aqueous solutions and the quantitative analysis of actinide isotopes in spent nuclear fuels. In this report, results on the following subjects have been summarized. (1) Development of TRLFS technology for chemical speciation of actinides, (2) Development of LIBD technology for measuring solubility of actinides, (3) Chemical speciation of plutonium complexes by using a LWCC system, (4) Development of LIBS technology for the quantitative analysis of actinides, (5) Development of technology for the chemical speciation of actinides by CE, (6) Evaluation on the chemical reactions between actinides and humic substances, (7) Chemical speciation of actinides adsorbed on metal oxides surfaces, (8) Determination of actinide source terms of spent nuclear fuel

Fundamental Thermodynamics of Actinide-Bearing Mineral Waste Forms - Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Williamson, Mark A.; Ebbinghaus, Bartley B.; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2001-03-01

The end of the Cold War raised the need for the technical community to be concerned with the disposition of excess nuclear weapon material. The plutonium will either be converted into mixed-oxide fuel for use in nuclear reactors or immobilized in glass or ceramic waste forms and placed in a repository. The stability and behavior of plutonium in the ceramic materials as well as the phase behavior and stability of the ceramic material in the environment is not well established. In order to provide technically sound solutions to these issues, thermodynamic data are essential in developing an understanding of the chemistry and phase equilibria of the actinide-bearing mineral waste form materials proposed as immobilization matrices. Mineral materials of interest include zircon, zirconolite, and pyrochlore. High temperature solution calorimetry is one of the most powerful techniques, sometimes the only technique, for providing the fundamental thermodynamic data needed to establish optimum material fabrication parameters, and more importantly understand and predict the behavior of the mineral materials in the environment. The purpose of this project is to experimentally determine the enthalpy of formation of actinide orthosilicates, the enthalpies of formation of actinide substituted zirconolite and pyrochlore, and develop an understanding of the bonding characteristics and stabilities of these materials.

Fundamental Thermodynamics of Actinide-Bearing Mineral Waste Forms - Final Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williamson, Mark A.; Ebbinghaus, Bartley B.; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2001-01-01

The end of the Cold War raised the need for the technical community to be concerned with the disposition of excess nuclear weapon material. The plutonium will either be converted into mixed-oxide fuel for use in nuclear reactors or immobilized in glass or ceramic waste forms and placed in a repository. The stability and behavior of plutonium in the ceramic materials as well as the phase behavior and stability of the ceramic material in the environment is not well established. In order to provide technically sound solutions to these issues, thermodynamic data are essential in developing an understanding of the chemistry and phase equilibria of the actinide-bearing mineral waste form materials proposed as immobilization matrices. Mineral materials of interest include zircon, zirconolite, and pyrochlore. High temperature solution calorimetry is one of the most powerful techniques, sometimes the only technique, for providing the fundamental thermodynamic data needed to establish optimum material fabrication parameters, and more importantly understand and predict the behavior of the mineral materials in the environment. The purpose of this project is to experimentally determine the enthalpy of formation of actinide orthosilicates, the enthalpies of formation of actinide substituted zirconolite and pyrochlore, and develop an understanding of the bonding characteristics and stabilities of these materials

Hot Corrosion Behavior of Ti-48Al and Ti-48Al-2Cr Intermetallic Alloys Produced by Electric Current Activated Sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Garip, Y.; Ozdemir, O.

2018-06-01

In this study, Ti-48Al and Ti-48Al-2Cr (at. pct) intermetallic alloys were produced by electric current activated sintering (ECAS). In order to characterize the phase formation and microstructures of these alloys, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were used. The XRD result shows that the intermetallic alloys are composed of γ-TiAl and α 2-Ti3Al phases. The microstructure is dense with a low amount of porosity. The hot corrosion behavior of intermetallic alloys was carried out in a salt mixture of 25 wt pct K2SO4 and 75 wt pct Na2SO4 at 700 °C for 180 hours. The morphology of corroded surfaces was observed by SEM-EDS and XRD. Corrosion phases were identified as TiO2 and Al2O3. Well-adhering oxide scale was detected on the corroded sample surface at the end of 180 hours, and no spallation was observed. In addition, a parabolic curve was obtained at the weight change rate vs time.

Hot Corrosion Behavior of Ti-48Al and Ti-48Al-2Cr Intermetallic Alloys Produced by Electric Current Activated Sintering

Science.gov (United States)

Garip, Y.; Ozdemir, O.

2018-03-01

In this study, Ti-48Al and Ti-48Al-2Cr (at. pct) intermetallic alloys were produced by electric current activated sintering (ECAS). In order to characterize the phase formation and microstructures of these alloys, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were used. The XRD result shows that the intermetallic alloys are composed of γ-TiAl and α 2-Ti3Al phases. The microstructure is dense with a low amount of porosity. The hot corrosion behavior of intermetallic alloys was carried out in a salt mixture of 25 wt pct K2SO4 and 75 wt pct Na2SO4 at 700 °C for 180 hours. The morphology of corroded surfaces was observed by SEM-EDS and XRD. Corrosion phases were identified as TiO2 and Al2O3. Well-adhering oxide scale was detected on the corroded sample surface at the end of 180 hours, and no spallation was observed. In addition, a parabolic curve was obtained at the weight change rate vs time.

Actinide Separation Demonstration Facility, Tarapur

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vishwaraj, I.

2017-01-01

Partitioning of minor actinide from high level waste could have a substantial impact in lowering the radio toxicity associated with high level waste as well as it will reduce the burden on geological repository. In Indian context, the partitioned minor actinide could be routed into the fast breeder reactor systems scheduled for commissioning in the near period. The technological breakthrough in solvent development has catalyzed the partitioning programme in India, leading to the setting up and hot commissioning of the Actinide Separation Demonstration Facility (ASDF) at BARC, Tarapur. The engineering scale Actinide Separation Demonstration Facility (ASDF) has been retrofitted in an available radiological hot cell situated adjacent to the Advanced Vitrification Facility (AVS). This location advantage ensures an uninterrupted supply of high-level waste and facilitates the vitrification of the high-level waste after separation of minor actinides

Isothermal section of the ternary phase diagram U-Fe-Ge at 900˚C and its new intermetallic phases

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Henriques, Margarida Isabel Sousa; Berthebaud, D.; Lignie, A.; El Sayah, Z.; Moussa, C.; Tougait, O.; Havela, L.; Gonçalves, A.P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 639, Aug (2015), s. 224-234 ISSN 0925-8388 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : actinides alloys and compounds * crystal structure * X-ray diffraction Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 3.014, year: 2015

Pressure effect on magnetic and magnetotransport properties of intermetallic and colossal magnetoresistance oxide compounds

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Arnold, Zdeněk; Ibarra, M. R.; Algarabel, P. A.; Marquina, C.; De Teresa, J. M.; Morellon, L.; Blasco, J.; Magen, C.; Prokhnenko, Olexandr; Kamarád, Jiří; Ritter, C.

2005-01-01

Roč. 17, - (2005), S3035-S3055 ISSN 0953-8984 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521 Keywords : pressure effect * intermetallic compounds * magnetic properties * magnetic phase transitions * magnetotransport properties * oxides Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.145, year: 2005

Formation of intermetallic phases in AlSi7Fe1 alloy processed under microgravity and forced fluid flow conditions and their influence on the permeability

OpenAIRE

Steinbach, Sonja; Ratke, Lorenz; Zimmermann, Gerhard; Budenkova, Olga

2016-01-01

Ternary Al-6.5wt.%Si-0.93wt.%Fe alloy samples were directionally solidified on-board of the International Space Station ISS in the ESA payload Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) equipped with Low Gradient Furnace (LGF) under both purely diffusive and stimulated convective conditions induced by a rotating magnetic field. Using different analysis techniques the shape and distribution of the intermetallic phase β-Al 5 SiFe in the dendritic microstructure was investigated, to study the influence ...

Subsurface Biogeochemistry of Actinides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kersting, Annie B. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Univ. Relations and Science Education; Zavarin, Mavrik [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States). Glenn T. Seaborg Inst.

2016-06-29

A major scientific challenge in environmental sciences is to identify the dominant processes controlling actinide transport in the environment. It is estimated that currently, over 2200 metric tons of plutonium (Pu) have been deposited in the subsurface worldwide, a number that increases yearly with additional spent nuclear fuel (Ewing et al., 2010). Plutonium has been shown to migrate on the scale of kilometers, giving way to a critical concern that the fundamental biogeochemical processes that control its behavior in the subsurface are not well understood (Kersting et al., 1999; Novikov et al., 2006; Santschi et al., 2002). Neptunium (Np) is less prevalent in the environment; however, it is predicted to be a significant long-term dose contributor in high-level nuclear waste. Our focus on Np chemistry in this Science Plan is intended to help formulate a better understanding of Pu redox transformations in the environment and clarify the differences between the two long-lived actinides. The research approach of our Science Plan combines (1) Fundamental Mechanistic Studies that identify and quantify biogeochemical processes that control actinide behavior in solution and on solids, (2) Field Integration Studies that investigate the transport characteristics of Pu and test our conceptual understanding of actinide transport, and (3) Actinide Research Capabilities that allow us to achieve the objectives of this Scientific Focus Area (SFA and provide new opportunities for advancing actinide environmental chemistry. These three Research Thrusts form the basis of our SFA Science Program (Figure 1).

Reaction of intermetallic compounds of the ScT composition (T=Ag, Cu, Zn, Ni) with hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shilkin, S.P.; Volkova, L.S.; Tarasov, B.P.

1995-01-01

Reaction of intermetallic compounds of ScT composition (T=Ag, Cu, Zn, Ni), crystallized in CsCl structural type, with hydrogen at 0.2-10 MPa pressure and 293-673 K temperature is studied by chemical, x-ray phase and complex thermogravimetry analysis methods. It is shown that under such conditions hydrogen absorption by ScAg and ScCu is accompanied by the decay of their source matrices into scandium dihydride and metal silver and copper respectively. For ScZn a fine-dispersion mixture of scandium dihydride with zinc and hydride phase of a new zinc-containing intermetallic compound appears to be the finite reaction product. In case of ScNi a hydride phase of ScNiH 2.6 composition is produced, which is crystallized in a rhombic syngony with the lattice periods: a=0.5281±0.0007, b=0.7393±0.0009 and c=0.3327±0.0004 nm. 9 refs.; 2 tabs

Concentration of actinides in the food chain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulman, R.A.

1976-06-01

Considerable concern is now being expressed over the discharge of actinides into the environment. This report presents a brief review of the chemistry of the actinides and examines the evidence for interaction of the actinides with some naturally-occurring chelating agents and other factors which might stimulate actinide concentration in the food chain of man. This report also reviews the evidence for concentration of actinides in plants and for uptake through the gastrointestinal tract. (author)

Thermal-hydraulics of actinide burner reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takizuka, Takakazu; Mukaiyama, Takehiko; Takano, Hideki; Ogawa, Toru; Osakabe, Masahiro.

1989-07-01

As a part of conceptual study of actinide burner reactors, core thermal-hydraulic analyses were conducted for two types of reactor concepts, namely (1) sodium-cooled actinide alloy fuel reactor, and (2) helium-cooled particle-bed reactor, to examine the feasibility of high power-density cores for efficient transmutation of actinides within the maximum allowable temperature limits of fuel and cladding. In addition, calculations were made on cooling of actinide fuel assembly. (author)

Microstructure and tribological properties of NiMo/Mo2Ni3Si intermetallic 'in-situ' composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gui Yongliang; Song Chunyan; Yang Li; Qin Xiaoling

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Wear resistant NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si intermetallic 'in-situ' composites was fabricated successfully with Mo-Ni-Si powder blends as the starting materials. Microstructure of the NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si composites consists of Mo 2 Ni 3 Si primary dendrites, binary intermetallic phase NiMo and small amount of Ni/NiMo eutectics structure. The NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si composites exhibited high hardness and outstanding tribological properties under room-temperature dry-sliding wear test conditions which were attributed to the covalent-dominant strong atomic bonds and excellent combination of strength and ductility and toughness. - Abstract: Wear resistant NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si intermetallic 'in-situ' composites with a microstructure of ternary metal silicide Mo 2 Ni 3 Si primary dendritic, the long strip-like NiMo intermetallic phase, and a small amount of Ni/NiMo eutectics structure were designed and fabricated using molybdenum, nickel and silicon elemental powders. Friction and wear properties of NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si composites were evaluated under different contact load at room-temperature dry-sliding wear test conditions. Microstructure, worn surface morphologies and subsurface microstructure were characterized by OM, XRD, SEM and EDS. Results indicate that NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si composites have low fiction coefficient, excellent wear resistance and sluggish wear-load dependence. The dominant wear mechanisms of NiMo/Mo 2 Ni 3 Si composites are soft abrasion and slightly superficial oxidative wear.

Containerless automated processing of intermetallic compounds and composites

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, D. R.; Joslin, S. M.; Reviere, R. D.; Oliver, B. F.; Noebe, R. D.

1993-01-01

An automated containerless processing system has been developed to directionally solidify high temperature materials, intermetallic compounds, and intermetallic/metallic composites. The system incorporates a wide range of ultra-high purity chemical processing conditions. The utilization of image processing for automated control negates the need for temperature measurements for process control. The list of recent systems that have been processed includes Cr, Mo, Mn, Nb, Ni, Ti, V, and Zr containing aluminides. Possible uses of the system, process control approaches, and properties and structures of recently processed intermetallics are reviewed.

Actinide colloid generation in groundwater. Part 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.I.

1991-01-01

The progress made in the investigation of actinide colloid generation in groundwater is summarized and discussed with particular examples relevant to an understanding of the migration behaviour of actinides in natural aquifer systems. The first part deals with the characterization of colloids: groundwater colloids, actinide real-colloids and actinide pseudocolloids. The second part concentrates on the generation processes and migration behaviour of actinide pseudo colloids, which are discussed with some notable experimental examples. Importance is stressed more on the chemical aspects of the actinide colloid generation in groundwater. This work is a contribution to the CEC Mirage II project, in particular the complexation and colloids research area

Hydrometallurgical minor actinide separation in hollow fiber modules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geist, A.; Weigl, M.; Gompper, K.

2004-01-01

Hollow fiber modules (HFM) were used as phase contacting devices for hydrometallurgical minor actinide separation in the Partitioning and Transmutation context. Two single-HFM setups, one using commercially available HFM, the other one using miniature HFM, have been developed and manufactured. Several very successful DIAMEX and SANEX once-through tests were performed. The major advantage of the new miniature HFM is their size drastically reducing chemicals consumption: only several 10 mL of feed phases are required for a test. (authors)

Microstructural evolution of Ni40Zr60 alloy during early stage of mechanical alloying of intermetallic compounds NiZr2 and Ni11Zr9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee Peeyew; Koch, C.C.

1994-01-01

The microstructural change of Ni 40 Zr 60 alloy during mechanical alloying of mixtures of the intermetallic compounds NiZr 2 and Ni 11 Zr 9 has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. A specific ''cauliflower'' phase was formed during early stage of mechanical alloying process. It is suggested that the solid state reaction between intermetallic compounds NiZr 2 and Ni 11 Zr 9 is not the only origin for the formation of the ''cauliflower'' phase. ((orig.))

Theoretical Energy Release of Thermites, Intermetallics, and Combustible Metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, S.H.; Grubelich, M.C.

1999-05-14

Thermite mixtures, intermetallic reactants, and metal fuels have long been used in pyrotechnic applications. Advantages of these systems typically include high energy density, high combustion temperature, and a wide range of gas production. They generally exhibit high temperature stability and possess insensitive ignition properties. For the specific applications of humanitarian demining and disposal of unexploded ordnance, these pyrotechnic formulations offer additional benefits. The combination of high thermal input with low brisance can be used to neutralize the energetic materials in mines and other ordnance without the "explosive" high-blast-pressure events that can cause extensive collateral damage to personnel, facilities, and the environment. In this paper, we review the applications, benefits, and characteristics of thermite mixtures, intermetallic reactants, and metal fuels. Calculated values for reactant density, heat of reaction (per unit mass and per unit volume), and reaction temperature (without and with consideration of phase changes and the variation of specific heat values) are tabulated. These data are ranked in several ways, according to density, heat of reaction, reaction temperature, and gas production.

Development of intermetallic coatings for fusion power applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, J.H.; Domenico, T.; Dragel, G.; Clark, R.

1994-03-01

In the design of liquid-metal cooling systems, corrosion resistance of structural materials and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) force and its subsequent influence on thermal hydraulics and corrosion are major concerns. The objective of this study is to develop stable corrosion-resistant electrical insulator coatings at the liquid-metal/structural-material interface, with emphasis on electrically insulating coatings that prevent adverse MHD-generated currents from passing through the structural walls. Vanadium and V-base alloys are potential materials for structural applications in a fusion reactor. Insulator coatings inside the tubing are required when the system is cooled by liquid metals. Various intermetallic films were produced on V, V-t, and V-20 Ti, V-5Cr-t and V-15Cr-t, and Ti, and Types 304 and 316 stainless steel. The intermetallic layers were developed by exposure of the materials to liquid lithium of 3--5 at.% and containing dissolved metallic solutes at temperatures of 416--880 degrees C. Subsequently, electrical insulator coatings were produced by reaction of the reactive layers with dissolved nitrogen in liquid lithium or by air oxidation under controlled conditions at 600--1000 degrees C. These reactions converted the intermetallic layers to electrically insulating oxide/nitride or oxy-nitride layers. This coating method could be applied to a commercial product. The liquid metal can be used over and over because only the solutes are consumed within the liquid metal. The technique can be applied to various shapes because the coating is formed by liquid-phase reaction. This paper will discuss initial results on the nature of the coatings and their in-situ electrical resistivity characteristics in liquid lithium at high temperatures

Influence of annealing time and temperature on the Fe3Al intermetallic alloys microstructure modification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Garbala

2011-04-01

Full Text Available There is an industry interesting in intermetallic alloys in recent years. There are widely possibilities to adopt this kind of materials for structural units. More expensive materials can be replaced by them. A property which limits their wider application is the low plasticity at environment and elevated temperatures. In paper the results of the thermal microstructure modification are shown. To this end, the influence of annealing time and temperature on the intermetallic phase Fe3Al grain size was investigated. The impact of these factors on micro-hardness was examined as well. It was found that these operations cause the grain size reduction and the micro-hardness decrease.

Application of Ab Initio Electronic Structure Calculations in Construction of Phase Diagrams of Metallic Systems with Complex Phases

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šob, Mojmír; Kroupa, Aleš; Pavlů, Jana; Vřešťál, Jan

2009-01-01

Roč. 150, č. 1 (2009), s. 1-28 ISSN 1012-0394 R&D Projects: GA MŠk OC 147; GA ČR GA106/07/1078 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20410507 Keywords : Ab initio calculations * CALPHAD method * Laves phases * sigma phase * ternary systems * super-austenitic steels Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism

Medium temperature reaction between lanthanide and actinide carbides and hydrogen; Reaction a temperature moyenne entre les monocarbures de lanthanides et d'actinides et l'hydrogene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dean, G; Lorenzelli, R; Pascard, R [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Fontenay-aux-Roses (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1964-07-01

Hydrogen is fixed reversibly by the lanthanide and actinide mono carbides in the range 25 - 400 C, as for pure corresponding metals. Hydrogen goes into the carbides lattice through carbon vacancies and the total fixed amount is approximately equal to two hydrogen atoms per initial vacancy. Final products c.n thus be considered as carbo-hydrides of general formula M(C{sub 1-x}, H{sub 2x}). The primitive CFC, NaCl type, structure remains unchanged but expands strongly in the case of actinide carbides. With lanthanide carbides, hydrogenation induces a phase transformation with reappearance of the metal structure (HCP). Hydrogen decomposition pressures of all the studied carbo-hydrides are greater than those of the corresponding di-hydrides. (authors) [French] Les monocarbures d'actinides et de lanthanides fixent reversiblement de l'hydrogene a temperature peu elevee, a peu pres dans les memes conditions que les metaux purs correspondants. L'hydrogene penetre dans le reseau des carbures par l'intermediaire des lacunes de carbone, et la quantite totale fixee est approximativement egale a deux atomes d'hydrogene par lacune initiale. Les produits obtenus peuvent donc etre consideres comme des carbohydrures de formule generale M(C{sub 1-x}, H{sub 2x}). La structure d'origine CFC, type NaCl est conservee, mais avec une forte expansion, dans le cas des carbures d'actinides. En revanche, l'hydrogenation entraine un changement de phase cristalline avec retour a la structure du metal (HC) pour les carbures de lanthanides. Tous les carbohydrures etudies ont des tensions de decomposition en hydrogene superieures a celles des dihydrures correspondants. (auteurs)

Actinide cation-cation complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoyer, N.J.; Seaborg, G.T.

1994-12-01

The +5 oxidation state of U, Np, Pu, and Am is a linear dioxo cation (AnO 2 + ) with a formal charge of +1. These cations form complexes with a variety of other cations, including actinide cations. Other oxidation states of actinides do not form these cation-cation complexes with any cation other than AnO 2 + ; therefore, cation-cation complexes indicate something unique about AnO 2 + cations compared to actinide cations in general. The first cation-cation complex, NpO 2 + ·UO 2 2+ , was reported by Sullivan, Hindman, and Zielen in 1961. Of the four actinides that form AnO 2 + species, the cation-cation complexes of NpO 2 + have been studied most extensively while the other actinides have not. The only PuO 2 + cation-cation complexes that have been studied are with Fe 3+ and Cr 3+ and neither one has had its equilibrium constant measured. Actinides have small molar absorptivities and cation-cation complexes have small equilibrium constants; therefore, to overcome these obstacles a sensitive technique is required. Spectroscopic techniques are used most often to study cation-cation complexes. Laser-Induced Photacoustic Spectroscopy equilibrium constants for the complexes NpO 2 + ·UO 2 2+ , NpO 2 + ·Th 4+ , PuO 2 + ·UO 2 2+ , and PuO 2 + ·Th 4+ at an ionic strength of 6 M using LIPAS are 2.4 ± 0.2, 1.8 ± 0.9, 2.2 ± 1.5, and ∼0.8 M -1

Synthesis and reactivity of single-phase Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} intermetallic compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jae-Hwan, E-mail: kim.jaehwan@jaea.go.jp [Breeding Functional Materials Development Group, Sector of Fusion Research and Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (Japan); Iwakiri, Hirotomo; Furugen, Tatsuaki [Faculty of Education Elementary and Secondary School Teacher Training Program, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa (Japan); Nakamichi, Masaru [Breeding Functional Materials Development Group, Sector of Fusion Research and Development, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (Japan)

2016-01-15

Highlights: • Preliminary synthesis of single-phase Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} was succeeded. • Reactivity difference between beryllium and beryllides may be caused by a lattice strain. • Oxidation of Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} at high temperatures results in the formation of TiO{sub 2}. • Simulation results reveal that a stable site for hydrogen at the center of tetrahedron exists. - Abstract: To investigate feasibility for application of Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} as a neutron multiplier as well as a refractory material, single-phase Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} intermetallic compounds were synthesized using an annealing heat treatment of the starting powder and a plasma sintering method. Scanning electron microscopic observations and X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that the single-phase Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} compounds were successfully synthesized. We examined the reactivity of Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2} with 1% H{sub 2}O and discovered that a larger stoichiometric amount of Ti resulted in the formation of TiO{sub 2} on the surface at high temperatures. This oxidation may also contribute to an increase in both weight gain and generation of H{sub 2}. This suggests that the formation of the Ti-depleted Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2−x} layer as a result of oxidation facilitates an increased reactivity with H{sub 2}O. To evaluate the safety aspects of Be{sub 17}Ti{sub 2}, we also investigated the hydrogen positions and solution energies based on the first principle. The calculations reveal that there are 10 theoretical sites, where 9 of these sites have hydrogen solution energies with a positive value (endothermic) and 1 site located at the center of a tetrahedron comprising two Be and two Ti atoms gives a negative value (exothermic).

Segregation effects and phase developments during solidification of alloy 625

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Højerslev, Christian; Tiedje, Niels Skat; Hald, John

2006-01-01

contained gamma-phase, Laves phase and, if carbon was dissolved in the liquid, niobium rich carbides formed. Molybdenum and niobium showed strong tendencies to segregate. Their segregation was balanced by inverse segregation of nickel and iron. The chromium concentration remained almost constant in gamma...

Thermodynamic analysis of light-actinide elements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brosh, Eli; Makov, Guy; Shneck, Roni Z.

2005-01-01

The thermophysical properties of the alpha phases of the light actinide elements Th, U, Np and Pu were analysed. For each of the analysed elements, the Gibbs free-energy was modelled by an explicit function of temperature T and pressure P over the whole relevant T-P range, in a manner compatible with the CALPHAD (Calculation of Alloy Phase Diagrams) method. Several adjustable model-parameters were fitted to available experimental results. The model is based on a new semi-empirical equation of state, which interpolates with Thomas-Fermi type models for the volume and with the Dulong-Petit value for the heat capacity, at extreme pressures

Analysis of evidence for an irreproducible martensite-like behavior in actinide metals and alloys below room temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandenaw, T.A.

1976-05-01

Evidence is presented which suggests that a low-temperature, martensite-like behavior may be quite general in actinide metals and their alloys and compounds. There may be no metastable martensitic embryos in an α-phase structure of high-purity U, Np, and Pu formed by a diffusion-controlled β → α transformation, and thus no evidence for low-temperature phases. The effect of impurity content on observed low-temperature physical properties of these actinides is noted. It is proposed that impurities may be playing several roles. They may permit an electron redistribution in dilute alloys dependent upon the length of holding time. Experimentally determined values for the electronic contribution to heat capacity and the density of states of U, Np, and Pu should thus vary over a considerable range, as has been observed. Variations in interstitial ordering of impurity atoms with processing may yield stacking variants of each basic close-packed actinide metal structure and thus determine the number and structure of low-temperature phase. 46 references

Citrate-based open-quotes Talspeakclose quotes actinide-lanthanide separation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Cul, G.D.; Toth, L.M.; Bond, W.D.

1997-01-01

Lanthanide elements are produced in relatively high yield by fission of 235 U. Almost all the lanthanide isotopes decay to stable nonradioactive lanthanide isotopes in a relatively short time. Consequently, it is highly advantageous to separate the relatively small actinide fraction from the relatively large quantities of lanthanide isotopes. The TALSPEAK process (Trivalent Actinide Lanthanide Separations by Phosphorus-reagent Extraction from Aqueous Complexes) is one of the few means available to separate the trivalent actinides from the lanthanides. Previous work based on the use of lactic or glycolic acid has shown deleterious effects of some impurity ions such as zirconium(IV), even at concentrations on the order of 10 -4 M. Other perceived problems were the need to maintain the pH and reagent concentrations within a narrow range and a significant solubility of the organic phase at high carboxylic acid concentrations. The authors' cold experiments showed that replacing the traditional extractants glycolic or lactic acid with citric acid eliminates or greatly reduces the deleterious effects produced by impurities such as zirconium. An extensive series of batch tests was done using a wide range of reagent concentrations at different pH values, temperatures, and contact times. The results demonstrated that the citrate-based TALSPEAK can tolerate appreciable changes in pH and reagent concentrations while maintaining an adequate lanthanide extraction. Experiments using a three-stage glass mixer-settler showed a good lanthanide extraction, appropriate phase disengagement, no appreciable deleterious effects due to the presence of impurities such as zirconium, excellent pH buffering, and no significant loss of organic phase

Intermetallic and metal-rich phases in the system Li-Ba-In-N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smetana, Volodymyr; Vajenine, Grigori V.; Kienle, Lorenz; Duppel, Viola; Simon, Arndt

2010-01-01

Three new intermetallic phases, BaLi 2.1 In 1.9 , BaLi 1.12 In 0.98 , and BaLi 1.06 In 1.16 and two subnitrides Li 35 In 45 Ba 39 N 9 and LiIn 2 Ba 3 N 0.83 have been synthesized and their crystal structures have been determined. According to single crystal X-ray diffraction data BaLi 2.1 In 1.9 and BaLi 1.12 In 0.98 crystallize with hexagonal symmetry (BaLi 2.1 In 1.9 : P6 3 /mmc, a=10.410(2), c=8.364(2) A, Z=6, V=785.0(2) A 3 ) and BaLi 1.12 In 0.98 : P6/mmm, a=17.469(1), c=10.6409(7) A, Z=30, V=2813.5(8) A 3 ), while BaLi 1.06 In 1.16 has a rhombohedral structure (R-3c, a=18.894(3), c=85.289(17) A, Z=276, V=26368(8) A 3 ). BaLi 2.1 In 1.9 is isostructural with the known phase BaLi 4 . The phase BaLi 1.12 In 0.98 is structurally related to Na 8 K 23 Cd 12 In 48 , while BaLi 1.06 In 1.16 is isostructural with Li 33.3 Ba 13.1 Ca 3 . A sample containing structurally similar BaLi 1.12 In 0.98 and BaLi 1.02 In 1.16 was also investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Li 35 In 45 Ba 39 N 9 and LiIn 2 Ba 3 N 0.83 crystallize with tetragonal (I-42m, a=15.299(2), c=30.682(6) A, Z=2, V=7182(2) A 3 ) and cubic (Fd-3m, a=14.913(2) A, Z=8, V=3316.7(7) A 3 ) symmetry, respectively. While the first-mentioned subnitride belongs to the Li 80 Ba 39 N 9 structure type, the second extends the structural family of Ba 6 In 4.78 N 2.72 . The structural features of the new compounds are discussed in comparison to the known phases and the results of total energy calculations. - Graphical abstract: One-dimensional chain of face-sharing centered icosahedra in BaLi 2.1 In 1.9

Effects of humic substances on the migration of radionuclides: Complexation of actinides with humic substances. 1. progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.I.; Buckau, G.; Klenze, R.; Rhee, D.S.; Wimmer, H.; Decambox, P.; Mauchien, P.; Moulin, C.; Moulin, V.; Tits, J.; Marquardt, C.; Riegel, J.; Sattelberger, P.; Herrmann, G.; Trautmann, N.; Diercks, A.; Vancluysen, J.; Maes, A.; Bidoglio, G.; Righetto, L.

1992-02-01

The aim of the present research programme is to study the complexation behaviour of actinide ions with humic substances in natural aquifer systems and hence to quantify the effect of humic substances on the actinide migration. Aquatic humic substances commonly found in all groundwaters in different concentrations have a strong tendency towards complexation with actinide ions. This is one of the major geochemical reactions but hitherto least quantified. Therefore, the effect of humic substances on the actinide migration is poorly understood. In the present research programme the complexation of actinide ions with humic substances will be described thermodynamically. This description will be based on a model being as simple as possible to allow an easy introduction of the resulting constants into geochemical modelling of the actinide migration. This programme is a continuation of the activities of the COCO group in the second phase of the CEC-MIRAGE project. (orig.)

Isothermal section of the ternary phase diagram U–Fe–Ge at 900 °C and its new intermetallic phases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henriques, M.S., E-mail: mish@itn.pt [Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague (Czech Republic); CCTN, IST/CFMCUL, University of Lisbon, Nuclear and Technological Campus, P-2695-066 Bobadela (Portugal); Berthebaud, D.; Lignie, A.; El Sayah, Z.; Moussa, C.; Tougait, O. [Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes, Chimie du Solide et Matériaux, Université Rennes 1, UMR CNRS 6226, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes (France); Havela, L. [Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 5, 121 16 Prague (Czech Republic); Gonçalves, A.P. [CCTN, IST/CFMCUL, University of Lisbon, Nuclear and Technological Campus, P-2695-066 Bobadela (Portugal)

2015-08-05

Highlights: • Isothermal section of the U–Fe–Ge at 900 °C was investigated. • Ten ternary compounds and four significant solubility ranges were found. • Three new compounds and a solid solution were discovered. - Abstract: The isothermal section at 900 °C of the U–Fe–Ge ternary system was assessed using experimental results from X-ray diffraction and observations by scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy chemical analysis. The phase diagram at this temperature is characterized by the formation of fourteen stable phases: four homogeneity ranges and ten intermetallic compounds. Among these, there is an extension of the binary compound UFe{sub 2} into the ternary system (UFe{sub 2−x}Ge{sub x,}x < 0.15), three ternary line compounds, U{sub 2}Fe{sub 17−x}Ge{sub x} (2 < x < 3.7), UFe{sub 1−x}Ge{sub 2} (0.58 < x < 0.78), UFe{sub 6+x}Ge{sub 6−x} (x < 0.7), and ten ternary stoichiometric compounds, U{sub 2}Fe{sub 3}Ge, U{sub 6}Fe{sub 16}Ge{sub 7}, UFe{sub 4}Ge{sub 2}, U{sub 6}Fe{sub 22}Ge{sub 13}, UFeGe, U{sub 3}Fe{sub 4}Ge{sub 4}, UFe{sub 2}Ge{sub 2}, U{sub 34}Fe{sub 3.32}Ge{sub 33}, U{sub 3}Fe{sub 2}Ge{sub 7}, and U{sub 9}Fe{sub 7}Ge{sub 24}.

Extraction chromatogrpahy of actinides, ch. 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, W.

1975-01-01

This review on extraction chromatography of actinides emphasizes the important usage of neutral (Tributylphosphate), basic (substituted ammonium salts), and acidic (HDEHP) extractants, and their application to separations of actinides in the di-to hexavalent oxidation state. Furthermore, the actinide extraction by ketones, ethers, alcohols and β-diketones is discussed

Ground state searches in fcc intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolverton, C.; de Fontaine, D.; Ceder, G.; Dreysse, H.

1991-12-01

A cluster expansion is used to predict the fcc ground states, i.e., the stable phases at zero Kelvin as a function of composition, for alloy systems. The intermetallic structures are not assumed, but derived regorously by minimizing the configurational energy subject to linear constraints. This ground state search includes pair and multiplet interactions which spatially extend to fourth nearest neighbor. A large number of these concentration-independent interactions are computed by the method of direct configurational averaging using a linearized-muffin-tin orbital Hamiltonian cast into tight binding form (TB-LMTO). The interactions, derived without the use of any adjustable or experimentally obtained parameters, are compared to those calculated via the generalized perturbation method extention of the coherent potential approximation within the context of a KKR Hamiltonian (KKR-CPA-GPM). Agreement with the KKR-CPA-GPM results is quite excellent, as is the comparison of the ground state results with the fcc-based portions of the experimentally-determined phase diagrams under consideration

Interface-related deformation phenomena in intermetallic γ-titanium aluminides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appel, F.; Wagner, R.

1993-01-01

The development of titanium aluminides towards higher ductility concentrates on Ti-rich alloys which are composed of the intermetallic phases γ(TiAl) and α 2 (Ti 3 Al). The two phases form a lamellar microstructure with various types of interfaces. The deformation behaviour of these materials was investigated by compression tests, which were performed for different orientations of the interfacial boundaries with respect to the sample axis. With regard to the mechanical properties the structure of the interfaces and the micromechanisms of deformation were studied by conventional and high resolution electron microscopy. Accordingly, the interfacial boundaries impede the propagation of slip across the lamellae, leading to an athermal contribution to the flow stress. (orig.)

Interface-related deformation phenomena in intermetallic γ-titanium aluminides

Science.gov (United States)

Appel, F.; Wagner, R.

1993-01-01

The development of titanium aluminides towards higher ductility concentrates on Ti-rich alloys which are composed of the intermetallic phases γ(TiAl) and α2(Ti3Al). The two phases form a lamellar microstructure with various types of interfaces. The deformation behaviour of these materials was investigated by compression tests, which were performed for different orientations of the interfacial boundaries with respect to the sample axis. With regard to the mechanical properties the structure of the interfaces and the micromechanisms of deformation were studied by conventional and high resolution electron microscopy. Accordingly, the interfacial boundaries impede the propagation of slip across the lamellae, leading to an athermal contribution to the flow stress.

Synthesis of nuclear waste monazites, ideal actinide hosts for geologic disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarthy, G.J.; White, W.B.; Pfoertsch, D.E.

1978-01-01

Monazite, an orthophosphate mineral of the lanthanides (Ln) and the actinides (An) U and Th, is a model for an ideal synthetic mineral waste form for geologic disposal of long-lived nuclear waste actinides. Natural monazites are known to have survived many of the conditions that might be inflicted on a nuclear waste repository by geological disruptions. High Th and U monazites with compositions typical of nuclear wastes have been synthesized with a routine calcination-pelletization-crystallization procedure. Charge balance for the Th 4+ → Ln 3+ substitution can be provided by either an equimolar Ca 2+ → Ln 3+ or Si 4+ → P 5+ substitution. For U 4+ → Ln 3+ , only the Ca 2+ → Ln 3+ substitution resulted in a phase-pure monazite. Unit cell parameter data were obtained for each nuclear waste monazite phase

Partitioning and Leaching Behavior of Actinides and Rare Earth Elements in a Zirconolite- Bearing Hydrothermal Vein System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Payne, Timothy E.; Hart, Kaye P.; Lumpkin, Gregory R.; McGlinn, Peter J.; Giere, Reto

2007-01-01

Chemical extraction techniques and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the distribution and behavior of actinides and rare earth elements (REE) in hydrothermal veins at Adamello (Italy). The six samples discussed in this paper were from the phlogopite zone, which is one of the major vein zones. The samples were similar in their bulk chemical composition, mineralogy, and leaching behavior of major elements (determined by extraction with 9 M HCl). However, there were major differences in the extractability of REE and actinides. The most significant influence on the leaching characteristics appears to be the amounts of U, Th and REE incorporated in resistant host phases (zirconolite and titanite) rather than readily leached phases (such as apatite). Uranium and Th are very highly enriched in zirconolite grains. Actinides were more readily leached from samples with a higher content of U and Th, relative to the amount of zirconium. The results show that REE and actinides present in chemically resistant host minerals can be retained under aggressive leaching conditions. (authors)

Minor actinide transmutation on PWR burnable poison rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Wenchao; Liu, Bin; Ouyang, Xiaoping; Tu, Jing; Liu, Fang; Huang, Liming; Fu, Juan; Meng, Haiyan

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Key issues associated with MA transmutation are the appropriate loading pattern. • Commercial PWRs are the only choice to transmute MAs in large scale currently. • Considerable amount of MA can be loaded to PWR without disturbing k eff markedly. • Loading MA to PWR burnable poison rods for transmutation is an optimal loading pattern. - Abstract: Minor actinides are the primary contributors to long term radiotoxicity in spent fuel. The majority of commercial reactors in operation in the world are PWRs, so to study the minor actinide transmutation characteristics in the PWRs and ultimately realize the successful minor actinide transmutation in PWRs are crucial problem in the area of the nuclear waste disposal. The key issues associated with the minor actinide transmutation are the appropriate loading patterns when introducing minor actinides to the PWR core. We study two different minor actinide transmutation materials loading patterns on the PWR burnable poison rods, one is to coat a thin layer of minor actinide in the water gap between the zircaloy cladding and the stainless steel which is filled with water, another one is that minor actinides substitute for burnable poison directly within burnable poison rods. Simulation calculation indicates that the two loading patterns can load approximately equivalent to 5–6 PWR annual minor actinide yields without disturbing the PWR k eff markedly. The PWR k eff can return criticality again by slightly reducing the boric acid concentration in the coolant of PWR or removing some burnable poison rods without coating the minor actinide transmutation materials from PWR core. In other words, loading minor actinide transmutation material to PWR does not consume extra neutron, minor actinide just consumes the neutrons which absorbed by the removed control poisons. Both minor actinide loading patterns are technically feasible; most importantly do not need to modify the configuration of the PWR core and

Hydrogen absorption in Zr(Alsub(x)Bsub(1-x))2 (B = Fe, Co) Laves phase compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, I.; Shaltiel, D.

1978-01-01

The hydrogen absorption capacity of the systems Zr(Alsub(x)Fesub(1-x)) 2 and Zr(Alsub(x)Cosub(1-x)) 2 (0 = 2 (A = V, Cr, Mn; B = Fe, Co; 0 =< x =< 1). The maximum hydrogen content in both systems is achieved for x approximately 2/12 at 40 atm and 80 K. Further increase of the Al content leads, however, to a steep decrease in the hydrogen capacity. This general behaviour is well described by a phenomenological model, recently proposed by the authors, thus supporting the importance of short-range neighbouring effects for the hydrogen absorption capacity. The influence of Al on the hydrogen sorption properties in different intermetallic compounds is discussed. (author)

Research on the chemical speciation of actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Euo Chang; Park, K. K.; Cho, H. R.

2012-04-01

A demand for the safe and effective management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plant draws increasing attention with the growth of nuclear power industry. The objective of this project is to establish the basis of research on the actinide chemistry by using highly sensitive and advanced laser-based spectroscopic systems. Researches on the chemical speciation of actinides are prerequisite for the development of technologies related to nuclear fuel cycles, especially, such as the safe management of high level radioactive wastes and the chemical examination of irradiated nuclear fuels. For supporting these technologies, laser-based spectroscopies have been applied for the chemical speciation of actinide in aqueous solutions and the quantitative analysis of actinide isotopes in spent nuclear fuels. In this report, results on the following subjects have been summarized. Development of TRLFS technology for the chemical speciation of actinides, Development of laser-induced photo-acoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) system, Application of LIBD technology to investigate dynamic behaviors of actinides dissolution reactions, Development of nanoparticle analysis technology in groundwater using LIBD, Chemical speciation of plutonium complexes by using a LWCC system, Development of LIBS technology for the quantitative analysis of actinides, Evaluation on the chemical reactions between actinides and humic substances, Spectroscopic speciation of uranium-ligand complexes in aqueous solution, Chemical speciation of actinides adsorbed on metal oxides surfaces

Actinide Sciences at ITN - Basic Studies in Chemistry with Potential Interest for Partitioning, Fuel Fabrication and More

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Almeida, M.; Dias, M.; Goncalves, A.P.; Henriques, M.S.; Lopes, E.B.; Pereira, L.C.J.; Santos, I.C.; Verbovytskyy, Y.; Waerenborgh, J.C.; Branco, J.B.; Carretas, J.M.; Cruz, A.; Ferreira, A.C.; Gasche, T.A.; Leal, J.P.; Lopes, G.; Lourenco, C.; Marcalo, J.; Maria, L.; Monteiro, B.; Mora, E.; Pereira, C.C.L.; Paiva, I.

2010-01-01

The current activities in the area of actinide chemistry at ITN, comprising basic research studies in inorganic and organometallic chemistry, catalysis, gas-phase ion chemistry, thermochemistry, and solid state chemistry, are briefly described. Actinide (and lanthanide) chemistry studies at ITN will be pursued connecting basic research with potential applications in nuclear and non-nuclear areas. (authors)

Rare Earth element (REE) incorporation in natural calcite. Upper limits for actinide uptake in a secondary phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stipp, S.L.S.; Christensen, J.T.; Waight, T.E.; Lakshtanov, L.Z.; Baker, J.A.

2006-01-01

Secondary minerals have the potential to sequester escaped actinides in the event of a radioactive waste repository failure, but currently, data to define their maximum uptake capacity are generally lacking. To estimate a maximum limit for solid solution in calcite, we took advantage of the behavioural similarities of the 4f-orbital lanthanides with some of the 5f-orbital actinides and used rare Earth element (REE) concentration as an analogue. A suite of 65 calcite samples, mostly pure single crystals, was assembled from a range of geological settings, ages and locations and analysed by isotope dilution MC-ICP-MS (multiple-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy). All samples were shown to contain significant lanthanide concentrations. The highest were in calcite formed from hydrothermal solutions and from carbonatite magma. Maximum total mole fraction of REE was 4.72 x 10 -4 , which represents one substituted atom for about 2000 Ca sites. In comparison, synthetic calcite, precipitated at growth rates slow enough to insure solid solution formation, incorporated 7.5 x 10 -4 mole fraction Eu(III). For performance assessment, we propose that 7.5 mmole substitution/kg calcite should be considered the upper limit for actinide incorporation in secondary calcite. The largest source of uncertainty in this estimate results from extrapolating lanthanide data to actinides. However, the data offer confidence that for waters in the hydrothermal temperature range, such as in the near-field, or at groundwater temperatures, such as in the far-field, if calcite formation is favoured and actinides are present, those with behaviour like the trivalent lanthanides, especially Am 3+ and Cm 3+ , will be incorporated. REE are abundant and widely distributed, and they have remained in calcite for millions of years. Thus, one can be certain that incorporated actinides will also remain immobilised in calcite formed in fractures and pore spaces, as long as solution conditions

Hot-working behavior of an advanced intermetallic multi-phase γ-TiAl based alloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwaighofer, Emanuel, E-mail: emanuel.schwaighofer@unileoben.ac.at [Department of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Testing, Montanuniversität Leoben, Roseggerstr. 12, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Clemens, Helmut [Department of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Testing, Montanuniversität Leoben, Roseggerstr. 12, A-8700 Leoben (Austria); Lindemann, Janny [Chair of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Technology, Brandenburg University of Technology, Konrad-Wachsmann-Allee 17, D-03046 Cottbus (Germany); GfE Fremat GmbH, Lessingstr. 41, D-09599 Freiberg (Germany); Stark, Andreas [Institute of Materials Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Max-Planck-Str. 1, D-21502 Geesthacht (Germany); Mayer, Svea [Department of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Testing, Montanuniversität Leoben, Roseggerstr. 12, A-8700 Leoben (Austria)

2014-09-22

New high-performance engine concepts for aerospace and automotive application enforce the development of lightweight intermetallic γ-TiAl based alloys with increased high-temperature capability above 750 °C. Besides an increased creep resistance, the alloy system must exhibit sufficient hot-workability. However, the majority of current high-creep resistant γ-TiAl based alloys suffer from poor workability, whereby grain refinement and microstructure control during hot-working are key factors to ensure a final microstructure with sufficient ductility and tolerance against brittle failure below the brittle-to-ductile transition temperature. Therefore, a new and advanced β-solidifying γ-TiAl based alloy, a so-called TNM alloy with a composition of Ti–43Al–4Nb–1Mo–0.1B (at%) and minor additions of C and Si, is investigated by means of uniaxial compressive hot-deformation tests performed with a Gleeble 3500 simulator within a temperature range of 1150–1300 °C and a strain rate regime of 0.005–0.5 s{sup −1} up to a true deformation of 0.9. The occurring mechanisms during hot-working were decoded by ensuing constitutive modeling of the flow curves by a novel phase field region-specific surface fitting approach via a hyperbolic-sine law as well as by evaluation through processing maps combined with microstructural post-analysis to determine a safe hot-working window of the refined TNM alloy. Complementary, in situ high energy X-ray diffraction experiments in combination with an adapted quenching and deformation dilatometer were conducted for a deeper insight about the deformation behavior of the alloy, i.e. phase fractions and texture evolution as well as temperature uncertainties arising during isothermal and non-isothermal compression. It was found that the presence of β-phase and the contribution of particle stimulated nucleation of ζ-Ti{sub 5}Si{sub 3} silicides and h-type carbides Ti{sub 2}AlC enhance the dynamic recrystallization behavior during

Hot-working behavior of an advanced intermetallic multi-phase γ-TiAl based alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schwaighofer, Emanuel; Clemens, Helmut; Lindemann, Janny; Stark, Andreas; Mayer, Svea

2014-01-01

New high-performance engine concepts for aerospace and automotive application enforce the development of lightweight intermetallic γ-TiAl based alloys with increased high-temperature capability above 750 °C. Besides an increased creep resistance, the alloy system must exhibit sufficient hot-workability. However, the majority of current high-creep resistant γ-TiAl based alloys suffer from poor workability, whereby grain refinement and microstructure control during hot-working are key factors to ensure a final microstructure with sufficient ductility and tolerance against brittle failure below the brittle-to-ductile transition temperature. Therefore, a new and advanced β-solidifying γ-TiAl based alloy, a so-called TNM alloy with a composition of Ti–43Al–4Nb–1Mo–0.1B (at%) and minor additions of C and Si, is investigated by means of uniaxial compressive hot-deformation tests performed with a Gleeble 3500 simulator within a temperature range of 1150–1300 °C and a strain rate regime of 0.005–0.5 s −1 up to a true deformation of 0.9. The occurring mechanisms during hot-working were decoded by ensuing constitutive modeling of the flow curves by a novel phase field region-specific surface fitting approach via a hyperbolic-sine law as well as by evaluation through processing maps combined with microstructural post-analysis to determine a safe hot-working window of the refined TNM alloy. Complementary, in situ high energy X-ray diffraction experiments in combination with an adapted quenching and deformation dilatometer were conducted for a deeper insight about the deformation behavior of the alloy, i.e. phase fractions and texture evolution as well as temperature uncertainties arising during isothermal and non-isothermal compression. It was found that the presence of β-phase and the contribution of particle stimulated nucleation of ζ-Ti 5 Si 3 silicides and h-type carbides Ti 2 AlC enhance the dynamic recrystallization behavior during deformation within

Solvent extraction separations of trivalent lanthanide and actinide ions using an aqueous aminomethanediphosphonic acid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, M. P.

1998-01-01

The possibility of separating the trivalent lanthanides, represented by EU 3+ , and actinides, represented by Cf 3+ , using HDEHP in toluene and an aqueous phase containing N-piperidinomethane-1,1-diphosphotic acid, PMDPA, has been investigated. This modified aqueous phase offers potential advantages over the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid based TALSPEAK process because of the improved complexation properties of PMDPA in acidic solutions, and the ability to decompose PMDPA before disposal. Extraction experiments were conducted at 25 C in 2 M NaClO 4 between -log [H + ] 1 and 2. The studies enabled us to derive the aqueous phase speciation, the stability constants of the aqueous complexes, and the Cf/Eu separation factors. Despite the presence of an amino group in PMDPA that should favor the retention of the actinides in the aqueous phase, the Cf/Eu separation factors are near unity under the conditions studied

Safe actinide disposition in molten salt reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gat, U.

1997-01-01

Safe molten salt reactors (MSR) can readily accommodate the burning of all fissile actinides. Only minor compromises associated with plutonium are required. The MSRs can dispose safely of actinides and long lived isotopes to result in safer and simpler waste. Disposing of actinides in MSRs does increase the source term of a safety optimized MSR. It is concluded that the burning and transmutation of actinides in MSRs can be done in a safe manner. Development is needed for the processing to handle and separate the actinides. Calculations are needed to establish the neutron economy and the fuel management. 9 refs

Magnetic and superconducting order in some random pseudobinary compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dongen, J.C.M. van.

1982-01-01

This thesis presents the results of a study on the magnetic and superconducting ordering phenomena in some random pseudobinary compounds. In the investigations ternary systems are utilised in which two of the elements form a binary intermetallic compound, e.g. PdH, GdCu and YCo 2 . A third element is then randomly substituted into one of the sublattices without changing the basic intermetallic compound structure. In chapter II a study is presented on the Kondo effect and spin-glass freezing of the magnetic impurities Cr, Mn, and Fe in superconducting palladium hydride. Chapter III contains a study on crystal structure transformations and magnetic ordering phenomena in GdCusub(1-x)Gasub(x) and related pseudobinary compounds. In Chapter IV experiments on the magnetic properties and the electrical resistivity of the transition metal Laves phase compounds Y(Cosub(1-x)Fesub(x)) 2 , Y(Irsub(1-x)Fesub(x)) 2 and Hf(Cosub(1-x)Fesub(x)) 2 are described. (Auth.)

Rare earth intermetallic compounds produced by a reduction-diffusion process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cech, R.E.

1975-01-01

A reduction-diffusion process is given for producing novel rare earth intermetallic compounds, such as cobalt--rare earth intermetallic compounds, especially compounds useful in preparing permanent magnets. A particulate mixture of rare earth metal halide, cobalt and calcium hydride is heated to effect reduction of the rare earth metal halide and to diffuse the resulting rare earth metal into the cobalt to form the intermetallic compound

Pressure effect on magnetic and magnetotransport properties of intermetallic and colossal magnetoresistance oxide compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, Z; Ibarra, M R; Algarabel, P A; Marquina, C; Teresa, Jose MarIa de; Morellon, L; Blasco, J; Magen, C; Prokhnenko, O; Kamarad, J; Ritter, C

2005-01-01

The joint power of neutron diffraction and pressure techniques allows us to characterize under unique conditions the nature and different role of basic interactions in solids. We have covered a broad phenomenology in archetypical compounds: intermetallics and magnetic oxides. We have selected compounds in which the effect of moderate pressure is able to modify the electronic structure and bond angles that in turn are in the bases of magnetic and structural transitions. Complex magnetic and structural phase diagrams are reported for compounds with magnetic (Tb 1-X Y X Mn 2 ) and structural (RE 5 Si 4-X Ge X ) instabilities. Pressure-induced change of the magnetic structure in (R 2 Fe 17 ) intermetallics and the effect on the colossal magnetoresistance manganites are described

Plasticity enhancement mechanisms in refractory metals and intermetallics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibala, R.; Chang, H.; Czarnik, C.M.; Edwards, K.M.; Misra, A.

1993-01-01

Plasticity enhancement associated with surface films and precipitates or dispersoids in bcc refractory metals is operative in ordered intermetallic compounds. Some results are given for NiAl and MoSi 2 -based materials. The monotonic and cyclic plasticity of NiAl at room temperature can be enhanced by surface films. Ductile second phases also enhance the plasticity of NiAl. MoSi 2 exhibits similar effects of surface films and dispersoids, but primarily at elevated temperatures. The plasticity enhancement is associated with enhanced dislocation generation from constrained deformation at the film-substrate or precipitate/dispersoid-matrix interface of the composite systems

Joining thick section aluminum to steel with suppressed FeAl intermetallic formation via friction stir dovetailing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reza-E-Rabby, Md.; Ross, Kenneth; Overman, Nicole R.; Olszta, Matthew J.; McDonnell, Martin; Whalen, Scott A.

2018-04-01

A new solid-phase technique called friction stir dovetailing (FSD) has been developed for joining thick section aluminum to steel. In FSD, mechanical interlocks are formed at the aluminum-steel interface and are reinforced by metallurgical bonds where intermetallic growth has been uniquely suppressed. Lap shear testing shows superior strength and extension at failure compared to popular friction stir approaches where metallurgical bonding is the only joining mechanism. High resolution microscopy revealed the presence of a 40-70 nm interlayer having a composition of 76.4 at% Al, 18.4 at% Fe, and 5.2 at% Si, suggestive of limited FeAl3 intermetallic formation.

Digestive ripening facilitated atomic diffusion at nanosize regime: Case of AuIn{sub 2} and Ag{sub 3}In intermetallic nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arora, Neha [Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Jagirdar, Balaji R., E-mail: jagirdar@ipc.iisc.ernet.in [Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Klabunde, Kenneth J. [Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 (United States)

2014-10-15

Highlights: • A digestive ripening facilitated interatomic diffusion process is presented. • Nearly monodisperse AuIn{sub 2} and Ag{sub 3}In intermetallic nanoparticles were synthesized. • Optimization of reaction temperature facilitates interatomic transfer. • Presence of excess ligand plays a crucial role in the digestive ripening process. - Abstract: Monodisperse colloidal gold–indium (AuIn{sub 2}) intermetallic nanoparticles have been synthesized from Au and In colloids using the digestive ripening process. Formation of the intermetallic proceeds via digestive ripening facilitated atomic diffusion of Au and In atoms from the Au and In nanoparticles followed simultaneously by their growth in the solution. Optimization of the reaction temperature was found to be crucial for the formation of AuIn{sub 2} intermetallic from gold and indium nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of nearly monodisperse nanoparticles of Au and AuIn{sub 2} with particle size distribution of 3.7 ± 1.0 nm and 5.0 ± 1.6 nm, respectively. UV–visible spectral studies brought out the absence of SPR band in pure AuIn{sub 2} intermetallic nanoparticles. Optical study and electron microscopy, in combination with powder X-ray diffraction established phase pure AuIn{sub 2} intermetallic nanoparticles unambiguously. The potential of such an unprecedented approach has been further exploited in the synthesis of Ag{sub 3}In intermetallic nanoparticles with the dimension of less than 10 nm.

An Advanced TALSPEAK Concept for Separating Minor Actinides. Part 1. Process Optimization and Flowsheet Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lumetta, Gregg J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Richland, WA, USA; Levitskaia, Tatiana G. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Richland, WA, USA; Wilden, Andreas [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie- und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany; Casella, Amanda J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Richland, WA, USA; Hall, Gabriel B. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Richland, WA, USA; Lin, Leigh [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Richland, WA, USA; Sinkov, Sergey I. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Nuclear Science and Engineering Group, Richland, WA, USA; Law, Jack D. [Idaho National Laboratory, Aqueous Separations and Radiochemistry Department, Idaho Falls, ID, USA; Modolo, Giuseppe [Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institut für Energie- und Klimaforschung – Nukleare Entsorgung und Reaktorsicherheit (IEK-6), Jülich, Germany

2017-08-18

A system is being developed to separate trivalent actinides from lanthanide fission product elements that uses 2-ethylhexylphosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester to extract the lanthanide ions into an organic phase, while the actinide ions are held in the citrate-buffered aqueous phase by complexation to N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine-N,N',N'-triacetic acid (HEDTA). Earlier investigations of this system using a 2-cm centrifugal contactor revealed that the relatively slow extraction of Sm3+, Eu3+, and Gd3+ resulted in low separation factors from Am3+. In the work reported here, adjustments to the aqueous phase chemistry were made to improve the extraction rates. The results suggest that increasing the concentration of the citric acid buffer from 0.2 to 0.6 mol/L, and lowering the pH from 3.1 to 2.6, significantly improved lanthanide extraction rates resulting in an actinide/lanthanide separation system suitable for deployment in centrifugal contactors. Experiments performed to evaluate whether the lanthanide extraction rates can be improved by replacing aqueous HEDTA with nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) exhibited promising results. However, NTA exhibited an unsatisfactorily high distribution value for Am3+ under the extraction conditions examined.

Medium temperature reaction between lanthanide and actinide carbides and hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dean, G.; Lorenzelli, R.; Pascard, R.

1964-01-01

Hydrogen is fixed reversibly by the lanthanide and actinide mono carbides in the range 25 - 400 C, as for pure corresponding metals. Hydrogen goes into the carbides lattice through carbon vacancies and the total fixed amount is approximately equal to two hydrogen atoms per initial vacancy. Final products c.n thus be considered as carbo-hydrides of general formula M(C 1-x , H 2x ). The primitive CFC, NaCl type, structure remains unchanged but expands strongly in the case of actinide carbides. With lanthanide carbides, hydrogenation induces a phase transformation with reappearance of the metal structure (HCP). Hydrogen decomposition pressures of all the studied carbo-hydrides are greater than those of the corresponding di-hydrides. (authors) [fr

Thermal Expansion of Ni3Al Intermetallic Compound: Experiment and Simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Hai-Peng; Lü Peng; Zhou Kai; Wei Bing-Bo

2016-01-01

The thermal expansion of Ni 3 Al intermetallic compound is determined by a thermal dilatometer and simulated by the molecular dynamics method. The results of the linear thermal expansion coefficients are presented from 200 K up to the maximum temperature of 1600 K. The single phase of Ni 3 Al intermetallic compound is confirmed by x-ray diffraction together with DSC melting and solidification peaks, from which the solidus and the liquidus temperatures are obtained to be 1660 and 1695 K, respectively. The measured linear thermal expansion coefficient increases from 1.5 × 10 −5 to 2.7 × 10 −5 K −1 in the experimental temperature range, in good agreement with the data obtained by the molecular dynamics simulation, just a slight difference from the temperature dependence coefficient. Furthermore, the atomic structure and position are presented to reveal the atom distribution change during thermal expansion of Ni 3 Al compound. (paper)

Spectroscopic properties of tetravalent actinide ions in solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krupa, J.C.

1987-01-01

Optical spectroscopy is a powerful tool to study the electronic structure of an optically active transition ion in the condensed phase media and consequently to study the interactions between the central ion and its environment. The main interactions that are essential for an understanding of the energy level distribution of an f N ion in solids is briefly examined and the deduced free-ion and crystal field parameters for Pa 4+ , U 4+ , Np 4+ are compared to those of the isoelectronic configuration lanthanide ions. At last, the actinide series offers an interesting situation since the 5f electrons in the metals are delocalized in the light actinides and then localized, that sould affect the nature of the chemical bonding in the two parts of the series. Is this trend reflected in the An 4+ spectroscopic parameters

PAC and μSr investigations of light interstitial diffusion in intermetallic hydrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyer, P.; Baudry, A.

1988-01-01

Specific aspects of the Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) of gamma rays concerning its application to the study of atomic diffusion in solids are presented. PAC results recently obtained on the 181 Ta probe in several crystalline and amorphous phases of Zr 2 Ni hydrides are briefly summarized. Preliminary μSR results relative to these intermetallic hydrides are presented and compared to the PAC data

Predictions of thermomagnetic properties of Laves phase compounds: TbAl2, GdAl2 and SmAl2 performed with ATOMIC MATTERS MFA computation system

Science.gov (United States)

Michalski, Rafał; Zygadło, Jakub

2018-04-01

Recent calculations of properties of TbAl2 GdAl2 and SmAl2 single crystals, performed with our new computation system called ATOMIC MATTERS MFA are presented. We applied localized electron approach to describe the thermal evolution of Fine Electronic Structure of Tb3+, Gd3+ and Sm3+ ions over a wide temperature range and estimate Magnetocaloric Effect (MCE). Thermomagnetic properties of TbAl2, GdAl2 and SmAl2 were calculated based on the fine electronic structure of the 4f8, 4f7 and 4f5 electronic configuration of the Tb3+ and Gd3+ and Sm3+ ions, respectively. Our calculations yielded: magnetic moment value and direction; single-crystalline magnetization curves in zero field and in external magnetic field applied in various directions m(T,Bext); the 4f-electronic components of specific heat c4f(T,Bext); and temperature dependence of the magnetic entropy and isothermal entropy change with external magnetic field - ΔS(T,Bext). The cubic universal CEF parameters values used for all CEF calculations was taken from literature and recalculated for universal cubic parameters set for the RAl2 series: A4 = +7.164 Ka04 and A6 = -1.038 Ka06. Magnetic properties were found to be anisotropic due to cubic Laves phase C15 crystal structure symmetry. These studies reveal the importance of multipolar charge interactions when describing thermomagnetic properties of real 4f electronic systems and the effectiveness of an applied self-consistent molecular field in calculations for magnetic phase transition simulation.

Actinides burnup in a sodium fast reactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramirez S, J. R.; Pineda A, R.; Martinez C, E.; Alonso, G., E-mail: ramon.ramirez@inin.gob.mx [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2017-09-15

The burnup of actinides in a nuclear reactor is been proposed as part of an advanced nuclear fuel cycle, this process would close the fuel cycle recycling some of the radioactive material produced in the open nuclear fuel cycle. These actinides are found in the spent nuclear fuel from nuclear power reactors at the end of their burnup in the reactor. Previous studies of actinides recycling in thermal reactors show that would be possible reduce the amounts of actinides at least in 50% of the recycled amounts. in this work, the amounts of actinides that can be burned in a fast reactor is calculated, very interesting results surge from the calculations, first, the amounts of actinides generated by the fuel is higher than for thermal fuel and the composition of the actinides vector is different as in fuel for thermal reactor the main isotope is the {sup 237}Np in the fuel for fast reactor the main isotope is the {sup 241}Am, finally it is concluded that the fast reactor, also generates important amounts of waste. (Author)

Recovery of actinides from actinide-aluminium alloys by chlorination: Part III - Chlorination with HCl(g)

Science.gov (United States)

Meier, Roland; Souček, Pavel; Walter, Olaf; Malmbeck, Rikard; Rodrigues, Alcide; Glatz, Jean-Paul; Fanghänel, Thomas

2018-01-01

Two steps of a pyrochemical route for the recovery of actinides from spent metallic nuclear fuel are being investigated at JRC-Karlsruhe. The first step consists in electrorefining the fuel in molten salt medium implying aluminium cathodes. The second step is a chlorination process for the separation of actinides (An) from An-Al alloys formed on the cathodes. The chlorination process, in turn, consists of three steps; the distillation of adhered salt (1), the chlorination of An-Al by HCl/Cl2 under formation of AlCl3 and An chlorides (2), and the subsequent sublimation of AlCl3 (3). In the present work UAl2, UAl3, NpAl2, and PuAl2 were chlorinated with HCl(g) in a temperature range between 300 and 400 °C forming UCl4, NpCl4 or PuCl3 as the major An containing phases, respectively. Thermodynamic calculations were carried out to support the experimental work. The results showed a high chlorination efficiency for all used starting materials and indicated that the sublimation step may not be necessary when using HCl(g).

Burning actinides in very hard spectrum reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robinson, A.H.; Shirley, G.W.; Prichard, A.W.; Trapp, T.J.

1978-01-01

The major unresolved problem in the nuclear industry is the ultimate disposition of the waste products of light water reactors. The study demonstrates the feasibility of designing a very hard spectrum actinide burner reactor (ABR). A 1100 MW/sub t/ ABR design fueled entirely with actinides reprocessed from light water reactor (LWR) wastes is proposed as both an ultimate disposal mechanism for actinides and a means of concurrently producing usable power. Actinides from discharged ABR fuel are recycled to the ABR while fission products are routed to a permanent repository. As an integral part of a large energy park, each such ABR would dispose of the waste actinides from 2 LWRs

Microstructure and electrochemical characterization of laser melt-deposited Ti2Ni3Si/NiTi intermetallic alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Lixin; Wang Huaming

2008-01-01

Corrosion and wear resistant Ti 2 Ni 3 Si/NiTi intermetallic alloys with Ti 2 Ni 3 Si as the reinforcing phase and the ductile NiTi as the toughening phase were designed and fabricated by the laser melt-deposition manufacturing process. Electrochemical behavior of the alloys was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization testing and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in an NaOH solution. The results showed that the alloys have outstanding corrosion resistance due to the formation of a protective passive surface film of Ni(OH) 2 as well as the high chemical stability and strong inter-atomic bonds inherent to Ti 2 Ni 3 Si and NiTi intermetallics. The Ti 2 Ni 3 Si content has a significant influence on the microstructure of the alloys but only a slight effect on electrochemical corrosion properties

Actinide separative chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boullis, B.

2004-01-01

Actinide separative chemistry has focused very heavy work during the last decades. The main was nuclear spent fuel reprocessing: solvent extraction processes appeared quickly a suitable, an efficient way to recover major actinides (uranium and plutonium), and an extensive research, concerning both process chemistry and chemical engineering technologies, allowed the industrial development in this field. We can observe for about half a century a succession of Purex plants which, if based on the same initial discovery (i.e. the outstanding properties of a molecule, the famous TBP), present huge improvements at each step, for a large part due to an increased mastery of the mechanisms involved. And actinide separation should still focus R and D in the near future: there is a real, an important need for this, even if reprocessing may appear as a mature industry. We can present three main reasons for this. First, actinide recycling appear as a key-issue for future nuclear fuel cycles, both for waste management optimization and for conservation of natural resource; and the need concerns not only major actinide but also so-called minor ones, thus enlarging the scope of the investigation. Second, extraction processes are not well mastered at microscopic scale: there is a real, great lack in fundamental knowledge, useful or even necessary for process optimization (for instance, how to design the best extracting molecule, taken into account the several notifications and constraints, from selectivity to radiolytic resistivity?); and such a need for a real optimization is to be more accurate with the search of always cheaper, cleaner processes. And then, there is room too for exploratory research, on new concepts-perhaps for processing quite new fuels- which could appear attractive and justify further developments to be properly assessed: pyro-processes first, but also others, like chemistry in 'extreme' or 'unusual' conditions (supercritical solvents, sono-chemistry, could be

Actinides integral measurements on FCA assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukaiyama, Takehiko; Okajima, Shigeaki

1984-01-01

Actinide integral measurements were performed on eight assemblies of FCA where neutron energy spectra were shifted systematically from soft to hard in order to evaluate and modify the nuclear cross section data of major actinides. Experimental values on actinide fission rates and sample reactivity worths are compared with the calculated values using JENDL-2 and ENDF/B-V (or IV) data sets. (author)

Actinide burning and waste disposal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pigford, T H [University of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1990-07-01

Here we review technical and economic features of a new proposal for a synergistic waste-management system involving reprocessing the spent fuel otherwise destined for a U.S. high-level waste repository and transmuting the recovered actinides in a fast reactor. The proposal would require a U.S. fuel reprocessing plant, capable of recovering and recycling all actinides, including neptunium americium, and curium, from LWR spent fuel, at recoveries of 99.9% to 99.999%. The recovered transuranics would fuel the annual introduction of 14 GWe of actinide-burning liquid-metal fast reactors (ALMRs), beginning in the period 2005 to 2012. The new ALMRs would be accompanied by pyrochemical reprocessing facilities to recover and recycle all actinides from discharged ALMR fuel. By the year 2045 all of the LWR spent fuel now destined f a geologic repository would be reprocessed. Costs of constructing and operating these new reprocessing and reactor facilities would be borne by U.S. industry, from the sale of electrical energy produced. The ALMR program expects that ALMRs that burn actinides from LWR spent fuel will be more economical power producers than LWRs as early as 2005 to 2012, so that they can be prudently selected by electric utility companies for new construction of nuclear power plants in that era. Some leaders of DOE and its contractors argue that recovering actinides from spent fuel waste and burning them in fast reactors would reduce the life of the remaining waste to about 200-300 years, instead of 00,000 years. The waste could then be stored above ground until it dies out. Some argue that no geologic repositories would be needed. The current view expressed within the ALMR program is that actinide recycle technology would not replace the need for a geologic repository, but that removing actinides from the waste for even the first repository would simplify design and licensing of that repository. A second geologic repository would not be needed. Waste now planned

Actinide burning and waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pigford, T.H.

1990-01-01

Here we review technical and economic features of a new proposal for a synergistic waste-management system involving reprocessing the spent fuel otherwise destined for a U.S. high-level waste repository and transmuting the recovered actinides in a fast reactor. The proposal would require a U.S. fuel reprocessing plant, capable of recovering and recycling all actinides, including neptunium americium, and curium, from LWR spent fuel, at recoveries of 99.9% to 99.999%. The recovered transuranics would fuel the annual introduction of 14 GWe of actinide-burning liquid-metal fast reactors (ALMRs), beginning in the period 2005 to 2012. The new ALMRs would be accompanied by pyrochemical reprocessing facilities to recover and recycle all actinides from discharged ALMR fuel. By the year 2045 all of the LWR spent fuel now destined f a geologic repository would be reprocessed. Costs of constructing and operating these new reprocessing and reactor facilities would be borne by U.S. industry, from the sale of electrical energy produced. The ALMR program expects that ALMRs that burn actinides from LWR spent fuel will be more economical power producers than LWRs as early as 2005 to 2012, so that they can be prudently selected by electric utility companies for new construction of nuclear power plants in that era. Some leaders of DOE and its contractors argue that recovering actinides from spent fuel waste and burning them in fast reactors would reduce the life of the remaining waste to about 200-300 years, instead of 00,000 years. The waste could then be stored above ground until it dies out. Some argue that no geologic repositories would be needed. The current view expressed within the ALMR program is that actinide recycle technology would not replace the need for a geologic repository, but that removing actinides from the waste for even the first repository would simplify design and licensing of that repository. A second geologic repository would not be needed. Waste now planned

Adsorption of actinides by chelating agents containing benzene rings, fixed on charcoal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valentini Ganzerli, M.T.; Crespi Caramella, V.; Maggi, L.

1999-01-01

The focus of this paper is on the analysis of the actinides in the hydrosphere to study their environmental dispersion. The 8-hydroxyquinoline family and the benzohydroxamic acid have a complexing ability towards the actinides, even if in different oxidation states. Taking advantage of this ability, their salts with some organic acids or bases were prepared. In this way compounds were obtained easily incorporated into active charcoal. Only a small amount of the prepared adsorber may be equilibrated with large sample volumes. Subsequently it can be recovered by filtration. The adsorbed ions may be then re-dissolved with a small volume of the appropriate eluting solution. The 8-hydroxy-quinolines and the 8-hydroxyquinoline produced salts with the benzilic acid. These compounds similarly behave and show wide adsorption coefficients for solutions of pH higher than 3. The adsorption takes place by means of the formation of a complex of the actinide ion with the hydroxyquinoline moiety and also with the benzilic anion. Provided that the active extracting agent is not dissolved in a medium but fixed into a solid phase, the whole adsorption process may be regarded as a solvent extraction reaction. The benzohydroxamic acid was treated with the diphenylamine or with the tribenzylamine to obtain salts, later adsorbed into the charcoal. The adsorption of actinide ions seems to take place by means of a precipitation mechanism of the actinide ions with the hydroxamate ions for solution of pH higher than 3.5. Also in this case high values were obtained for the distribution coefficients. The actinide ions act similarly in the +4 or +6 oxidation state towards the prepared adsorber series. Therefore, it is possible to use only one adsorber to concentrate all actinides. Methods of analysis of actinides in the environment may be suitably set up and the concentration step based on these new prepared adsorber may improve the whole procedure. (authors)

The combined use of EBSD and EDX analyses for the identification of complex intermetallic phases in multicomponent Al-Si piston alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, C.-L.; Thomson, R.C.

2010-01-01

Multicomponent Al-Si based casting alloys are used for a variety of engineering applications, including for example, piston alloys. Properties include good castability, high strength, light weight, good wear resistance and low thermal expansion. In order for such alloys to continue operation to increasingly higher temperatures, alloy element modifications are continually being made to further enhance the properties. Improved mechanical and physical properties are strongly dependent upon the morphologies, type and distribution of the second phases, which are in turn a function of alloy composition and cooling rate. The presence of additional elements in the Al-Si alloy system allows many complex intermetallic phases to form, which make characterisation non-trivial. These include, for example, CuAl 2 , Al 3 Ni 2 , Al 7 Cu 4 Ni, Al 9 FeNi and Al 5 Cu 2 Mg 8 Si 6 phases, all of which may have some solubility for additional elements. Identification is often non-trivial due to the fact that some of the phases have either similar crystal structures or only subtle changes in their chemistries. A combination of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) has therefore been used for the identification of the various phases. This paper will present comparisons of phase identification methodologies using EBSD alone, and in combination with chemical information, either directly or through post processing.

Chemistry of actinides and fission products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pruett, D.J.; Sherrow, S.A.; Toth, L.M.

1988-01-01

This task is concerned primarily with the fundamental chemistry of the actinide and fission product elements. Special efforts are made to develop research programs in collaboration with researchers at universities and in industry who have need of national laboratory facilities. Specific areas currently under investigation include: (1) spectroscopy and photochemistry of actinides in low-temperature matrices; (2) small-angle scattering studies of hydrous actinide and fission product polymers in aqueous and nonaqueous solvents; (3) kinetic and thermodynamic studies of complexation reactions in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions; and (4) the development of inorganic ion exchange materials for actinide and lanthanide separations. Recent results from work in these areas are summarized here

Sigma Team for Advanced Actinide Recycle FY2015 Accomplishments and Directions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moyer, Bruce A. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

2015-09-30

The Sigma Team for Minor Actinide Recycle (STAAR) has made notable progress in FY 2015 toward the overarching goal to develop more efficient separation methods for actinides in support of the United States Department of Energy (USDOE) objective of sustainable fuel cycles. Research in STAAR has been emphasizing the separation of americium and other minor actinides (MAs) to enable closed nuclear fuel recycle options, mainly within the paradigm of aqueous reprocessing of used oxide nuclear fuel dissolved in nitric acid. Its major scientific challenge concerns achieving selectivity for trivalent actinides vs lanthanides. Not only is this challenge yielding to research advances, but technology concepts such as ALSEP (Actinide Lanthanide Separation) are maturing toward demonstration readiness. Efforts are organized in five task areas: 1) combining bifunctional neutral extractants with an acidic extractant to form a single process solvent, developing a process flowsheet, and demonstrating it at bench scale; 2) oxidation of Am(III) to Am(VI) and subsequent separation with other multivalent actinides; 3) developing an effective soft-donor solvent system for An(III) selective extraction using mixed N,O-donor or all-N donor extractants such as triazinyl pyridine compounds; 4) testing of inorganic and hybrid-type ion exchange materials for MA separations; and 5) computer-aided molecular design to identify altogether new extractants and complexants and theory-based experimental data interpretation. Within these tasks, two strategies are employed, one involving oxidation of americium to its pentavalent or hexavalent state and one that seeks to selectively complex trivalent americium either in the aqueous phase or the solvent phase. Solvent extraction represents the primary separation method employed, though ion exchange and crystallization play an important role. Highlights of accomplishments include: Confirmation of the first-ever electrolytic oxidation of Am(III) in a

Study of actinide paramagnetism in solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Autillo, Matthieu

2015-01-01

The physiochemical properties of actinide (An) solutions are still difficult to explain, particularly the behavioral differences between An(III) and Ln(III). The study of actinide paramagnetic behavior may be a 'simple' method to analyze the electronic properties of actinide elements and to obtain information on the ligand-actinide interaction. The objective of this PhD thesis is to understand the paramagnetic properties of these elements by magnetic susceptibility measurements and chemical shift studies. Studies on actinide electronic properties at various oxidation states in solution were carried out by magnetic susceptibility measurements in solution according to the Evans method. Unlike Ln(III) elements, there is no specific theory describing the magnetic properties of these ions in solution. To obtain accurate data, the influence of experimental measurement technique and radioactivity of these elements was analyzed. Then, to describe the electronic structure of their low energy states, the experimental results were complemented with quantum chemical calculations from which the influence of the ligand field was studied. Finally, these interpretations were applied to better understand the variations in the magnetic properties of actinide cations in chloride and nitrate media. Information about ligand-actinide interactions may be determined from an NMR chemical shift study of actinide complexes. Indeed, modifications induced by a paramagnetic complex can be separated into two components. The first component, a Fermi contact contribution (δ_c) is related to the degree of covalency in coordination bonds with the actinide ions and the second, a dipolar contribution (δ_p_c) is related to the structure of the complex. The paramagnetic induced shift can be used only if we can isolate these two terms. To achieve this study on actinide elements, we chose to work with the complexes of dipicolinic acid (DPA). Firstly, to characterize the geometrical parameters, a

Catalytic Organic Transformations Mediated by Actinide Complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabell S. R. Karmel

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This review article presents the development of organoactinides and actinide coordination complexes as catalysts for homogeneous organic transformations. This chapter introduces the basic principles of actinide catalysis and deals with the historic development of actinide complexes in catalytic processes. The application of organoactinides in homogeneous catalysis is exemplified in the hydroelementation reactions, such as the hydroamination, hydrosilylation, hydroalkoxylation and hydrothiolation of alkynes. Additionally, the use of actinide coordination complexes for the catalytic polymerization of α-olefins and the ring opening polymerization of cyclic esters is presented. The last part of this review article highlights novel catalytic transformations mediated by actinide compounds and gives an outlook to the further potential of this field.

Partitioning of Mercury from Actinides in the TRUEX Process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiskum, Sandra K.; Rapko, Brian M.; Lumetta, Gregg J.

2000-01-01

A mercury complexant, L-cysteine hydrochloride, was tested for use in separating Hg from actinides during TRUEX processing of wastes at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Mercury, americium, plutonium and uranyl distributions from TRUEX solvent were characterized over a nitric acid concentration range of 0.01 to 2 M. The applicability of cysteine was also evaluated for selective Hg complexation in an INEEL sodium-bearing waste simulant. A test was also conducted to evaluate the applicability of cysteine to separate Hg from Sr in the SREX process with Sr Resin used as a stand-in for the SREX process solvent. In all cases, the use of L-cysteine HCl retained Hg in the aqueous phase while causing no or little perturbation in the actinide and Sr distribution behavior

Burn of actinides in MOX fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez C, E.; Ramirez S, J. R.; Alonso V, G.

2017-09-01

The spent fuel from nuclear reactors is stored temporarily in dry repositories in many countries of the world. However, the main problem of spent fuel, which is its high radio-toxicity in the long term, is not solved. A new strategy is required to close the nuclear fuel cycle and for the sustain ability of nuclear power generation, this strategy could be the recycling of plutonium to obtain more energy and recycle the actinides generated during the irradiation of the fuel to transmute them in less radioactive radionuclides. In this work we evaluate the quantities of actinides generated in different fuels and the quantities of actinides that are generated after their recycling in a thermal reactor. First, we make a reference calculation with a regular enriched uranium fuel, and then is changed to a MOX fuel, varying the plutonium concentrations and determining the quantities of actinides generated. Finally, different amounts of actinides are introduced into a new fuel and the amount of actinides generated at the end of the fuel burn is calculated, in order to determine the reduction of minor actinides obtained. The results show that if the concentration of plutonium in the fuel is high, then the production of minor actinides is also high. The calculations were made using the cell code CASMO-4 and the results obtained are shown in section 6 of this work. (Author)

Minor actinide transmutation - a waste management option

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, L.

1986-01-01

The incentive to recycle minor actinides results from the reduction of the long-term α-radiological risk rather than from a better utilization of the uranium resources. Nevertheless, the gain in generated electricity by minor actinide transmutation in a fast breeder reactor can compensate for the costs of their recovery and make-up into fuel elements. Different recycling options of minor actinides are discussed: transmutation in liquid metal fast breeder reactors (LMFBRs) is possible as long as plutonium is not recycled in light water reactors (LWRs). In this case a minor actinide burner with fuel of different composition has to be introduced. The development of appropriate minor actinide fuels and their properties are described. The irradiation experiments underway or planned are summarized. A review of minor actinide partitioning from the PUREX waste stream is given. From the present constraints of LMFBR technology a reduction of the long-term α-radiological risk by a factor of 200 is deduced relative to that from the direct storage of spent LWR fuel. Though the present accumulation of minor actinides is low, nuclear transmutation may be needed when nuclear energy production has grown. (orig.)

Synthesis of Fe-Al-Ti Based Intermetallics with the Use of Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Kwiatkowska

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS technique was combined with direct synthesis to fabricate L21-ordered Fe-Al-Ti based intermetallic alloys. It was found that ternary Fe-Al-Ti alloys can be synthesized using the LENS technique from a feedstock composed of a pre-alloyed Fe-Al powder and elemental Ti powder. The obtained average compositions of the ternary alloys after the laser deposition and subsequent annealing were quite close to the nominal compositions, but the distributions of the elements in the annealed samples recorded over a large area were inhomogeneous. No traces of pure Ti were observed in the deposited alloys. Macroscopic cracking and porosity were observed in all investigated alloys. The amount of porosity in the samples was less than 1.2 vol. %. It seems that the porosity originates from the porous pre-alloyed Fe-Al powders. Single-phase (L21, two-phase (L21-C14 and multiphase (L21-A2-C14 Fe-Al-Ti intermetallic alloys were obtained from the direct laser synthesis and annealing process. The most prominent feature of the ternary Fe-Al-Ti intermetallics synthesized by the LENS method is their fine-grained structure. The grain size is in the range of 3–5 μm, indicating grain refinement effect through the highly rapid cooling of the LENS process. The Fe-Al-Ti alloys synthesized by LENS and annealed at 1000 °C in the single-phase B2 region were prone to an essential grain growth. In contrast, the alloys annealed at 1000 °C in the two-phase L21-C14 region exhibited almost constant grain size values after the high-temperature annealing.

Thermodynamics of carbothermic synthesis of actinide mononitrides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, T.; Shirasu, Y.; Minato, K.; Serizawa, H.

1997-01-01

Carbothermic synthesis will be further applied to the fabrication of nitride fuels containing minor actinides (MA) such as neptunium, americium and curium. A thorough understanding of the carbothermic synthesis of UN will be beneficial in the development of the MA-containing fuels. Thermodynamic analysis was carried out for conditions of practical interest in order to better understand the recent fabrication experiences. Two types of solution phases, oxynitride and carbonitride phases, were taken into account. The Pu-N-O ternary isotherm was assessed for the modelling of M(C, N, O). With the understanding of the UN synthesis, the fabrication problems of Am-containing nitrides are discussed. (orig.)

Simulation of the precipitation process of ordered intermetallic compounds in binary and ternary Ni-Al-based alloys by the phase-field model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Hua; Zhao Yuhong; Zhao Yuhui

2009-01-01

With the microscopic phase-field model, atomic-scale computer simulation programs for the precipitation mechanism of the ordered intermetallic compound γ' in binary Ni-15.5 at.%Al alloy, θ and γ' in ternary Ni 75 Al x V 25-x alloys were worked out based on the microscopic diffusion equation and non-equilibrium free energy. The simulation can be applied to the whole precipitation process and composition range. A prior assumptions on the new phase structure or transformation path was unnecessary, the possible non-equilibrium phases, atomic clustering and ordering could be described automatically, and atomic images, order parameters and volume fractions of precipitates were obtained. Computer simulation was performed systematically on the precipitation mechanism, precipitation sequence of θ and γ' in complicated system with ordering and clustering simultaneously. Through the simulated atomic images and chemical order parameters of precipitates, we can explain the complex precipitation mechanisms of θ (Ni 3 V) and γ' (Ni 3 Al) ordered phases. For the binary alloy, the precipitation mechanism of γ' phase has the characteristic of both non-classical nucleation and growth (NCNG) and congruent ordering and spinodal decomposition (COSD). For the ternary alloys, the precipitation characteristic of γ' phase transforms from NCNG to COSD gradually, otherwise, the precipitation characteristic of θ phase transforms from COSD to NCNG mechanism gradually

Extraction of actinides from chloride medium using pentaalkylpropanediamides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuillerdier, C.; Musikas, C.

1991-01-01

Pyrometallurgical processes for the purification of plutonium create waste solutions containing actinides, mainly americium, in chloride medium. Studies have been undertaken to study the extraction of actinides in chloride medium (hydrochloric acid mixed with concentrated salts such as LiCl, CaCl 2 , MgCl 2 , KCl) using pentaalkylpropanediamides as extractants. Plutonium (IV) is very easily extracted, Am (III) needs a salting out agent such as LiCl. Back extraction of trivalent cations is easy in HCl <5M. Plutonium(IV) and (VI) can be stripped by reduction either with ascorbic acid or hydroxylammonium salts in weak acid medium. Several diluents can be used (aromatic, chlorinated or even aliphatic) with addition of decanol to prevent third phase formation. In conclusion diamides can be used for various wastes declassification, they are potentially completely incinerable, and, as the synthesis has been optimized, they appear to be promising extractants

Moessbauer effect studies with actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stone, J.A.

1966-01-01

Moessbauer resonance studies in the actinide elements offer a new technique for measuring solid-state properties to a region of the periodic chart where such information is relatively sparse. It is well known that the actinides, the elements with atomic numbers from 90 to 103, form a transition series due to filling of the 5f electron shell, analogous to the rare-earth series in which the 4f shell is filled. Like the rare earths, the actinide metals and compounds are expected to exhibit a variety of interesting magnetic properties, but, unlike the rare earths, there have been few studies of the magnetic behaviour of actinides, and these properties are largely unknown. The chemical properties of the actinides have been studied somewhat more extensively, and, in contrast to the rare earths, form a multiplicity of stable valence states, especially in the lighter members of the series. It is just these properties, magnetic and chemical, for which the Moessbauer effect is a valuable probe, sensitive to the magnetic and electric environment of an atom. The rare-earth series has been a particularly fruitful region in terms of the number of elements which have been shown to exhibit the Moessbauer effect, and for this reason the exploitation of the Moessbauer effect to yield new solid-state and chemical information on the rare earths is a highly active field of research today. There is every reason to believe that the actinides can be similarly studied by the Moessbauer effect. 43 refs, 6 figs, 4 tabs

The shock Hugoniot of the intermetallic alloy Ti-46.5Al-2Nb-2Cr

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Millett, Jeremy; Gray, George T. Rusty III; Bourne, Neil

2000-01-01

Plate impact experiments were conducted on a γ-titanium aluminide (TiAl) based ordered intermetallic alloy. Stress measurements were recorded using manganin stress gauges supported on the back of TiAl targets using polymethylmethacrylate windows. The Hugoniot in stress-particle velocity space for this TiAl alloy was deduced using impedance matching techniques. The results in this study are compared to the known Hugoniot data of the common alpha-beta engineering Ti-based alloy Ti-6Al-4V. The results of the current study on the intermetallic alloy TiAl support that TiAl possesses a significantly higher stress for a given particle velocity than the two-phase Ti-6Al-4V alloy. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Evaluation of actinide partitioning and transmutation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-01-01

After a few centuries of radioactive decay the long-lived actinides, the elements of atomic numbers 89-103, may constitute the main potential radiological health hazard in nuclear wastes. This is because all but a very few fission products (principally technetium-99 and iodine-129) have by then undergone radioactive decay to insignificant levels, leaving the actinides as the principal radionuclides remaining. It was therefore at first sight an attractive concept to recycle the actinides to nuclear reactors, so as to eliminate them by nuclear fission. Thus, investigations of the feasibility and potential benefits and hazards of the concept of 'actinide partitioning and transmutation' were started in numerous countries in the mid-1970s. This final report summarizes the results and conclusions of technical studies performed in connection with a four-year IAEA Co-ordinated Research Programme, started in 1976, on the ''Environmental Evaluation and Hazard Assessment of the Separation of Actinides from Nuclear Wastes followed by either Transmutation or Separate Disposal''. Although many related studies are still continuing, e.g. on waste disposal, long-term safety assessments, and waste actinide management (particularly for low and intermediate-level wastes), some firm conclusions on the overall concept were drawn by the programme participants, which are reflected in this report

Synthesis and Evaluation of new Polyfunctional Molecules for Group Actinide Extraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marie, C.

2009-10-01

The aim of this project is to design new extracting molecules for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing. In order to minimize the long-term residual radiotoxicity of the waste, the GANEX process is an option based on homogeneous recycling of actinides. All actinides (U, Np, Pu, Am, Cm), present in a highly acidic aqueous solution, would be extracted together and separated from fission products (especially from lanthanides) using liquid-liquid extraction. In this context, twenty new bi-topic ligands constituted of a nitrogen poly-aromatic unit functionalized by amide groups were synthesized. Liquid-liquid extraction tests with these ligands dissolved alone in the organic phase show that N, N, N', N'-tetra-alkyl-6, 6''(2, 2':6', 2''-terpyridine)-diamides are able to selectively extract actinides at different oxidation states (Np(V et VI), U(VI), Pu(IV), Am(III), Cm(III)) from an aqueous solution 3M HNO 3 . Nevertheless, actinides(III) are poorly extracted. According to crystallographic structures of complexes with Nd(III) and U(VI) determined by X-rays diffraction, these ligands are penta-dentate. In solution (methanol), complexes stoichiometries (1:1) of Nd(III), U(VI) and Pu(IV) were determined by electro-spray ionization mass spectrometry. Stability constants, evaluated by UV-visible spectrophotometry in MeOH/H 2 O solutions, confirm the selectivity of ligands toward actinides(III) with respect to lanthanides(III). Associate to nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and DFT calculations (Density Functional Theory), a better knowledge of their coordination mode was achieved. (author)

The Effects of Grain Refinement and Rare Earth Intermetallics on Mechanical Properties of As-Cast and Wrought Magnesium Alloys

Science.gov (United States)

Pourbahari, Bita; Mirzadeh, Hamed; Emamy, Massoud

2018-03-01

The effects of rare earth intermetallics and grain refinement by alloying and hot extrusion on the mechanical properties of Mg-Gd-Al-Zn alloys have been studied to elucidate some useful ways to enhance the mechanical properties of magnesium alloys. It was revealed that aluminum as an alloying element is a much better grain refining agent compared with gadolinium, but the simultaneous presence of Al and Gd can refine the as-cast grain size more efficiently. The presence of fine and widely dispersed rare earth intermetallics was found to be favorable to achieve finer recrystallized grains during hot deformation by extrusion. The presence of coarse dendritic structure in the GZ61 alloy, grain boundary eutectic containing Mg17Al12 phase in the AZ61 alloy, and rare earth intermetallics with unfavorable morphology in the Mg-4Gd-2Al-1Zn alloy was found to be detrimental to mechanical properties of the alloy in the as-cast condition. As a result, the microstructural refinement induced by hot extrusion process resulted in a significant enhancement in strength and ductility of the alloys. The presence of intermetallic compounds in the extruded Mg-4Gd-2Al-1Zn and Mg-2Gd-4Al-1Zn alloys deteriorated tensile properties, which was related to the fact that such intermetallic compounds act as stress risers and microvoid initiation sites.

Actinides and fission products partitioning from high level liquid waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaura, Mitiko

1999-01-01

The presence of small amount of mixed actinides and long-lived heat generators fission products as 137 Cs and 90 Sr are the major problems for safety handling and disposal of high level nuclear wastes. In this work, actinides and fission products partitioning process, as an alternative process for waste treatment is proposed. First of all, ammonium phosphotungstate (PWA), a selective inorganic exchanger for cesium separation was chosen and a new procedure for synthesizing PWA into the organic resin was developed. An strong anionic resin loaded with tungstate or phosphotungstate anion enables the precipitation of PWA directly in the resinous structure by adding the ammonium nitrate in acid medium (R-PWA). Parameters as W/P ratio, pH, reactants, temperature and aging were studied. The R-PWA obtained by using phosphotungstate solution prepared with W/P=9.6, 9 hours digestion time at 94-106 deg C and 4 to 5 months aging time showed the best capacity for cesium retention. On the other hand, Sr separation was performed by technique of extraction chromatography, using DH18C6 impregnated on XAD7 resin as stationary phase. Sr is selectively extracted from acid solution and >99% was recovered from loaded column using distilled water as eluent. Concerning to actinides separations, two extraction chromatographic columns were used. In the first one, TBP(XAD7) column, U and Pu were extracted and its separations were carried-out using HNO 3 and hydroxylamine nitrate + HNO 3 as eluent. In the second one, CMP0-TBP(XAD7) column, the actinides were retained on the column and the separations were done by using (NH 4 ) 2 C 2 O 4 , DTPA, HNO 3 and HCl as eluent. The behavior of some fission products were also verified in both columns. Based on the obtained data, actinides and fission products Cs and Sr partitioning process, using TBP(XAD7) and CMP0-TBP(XAD7) columns for actinides separation, R-PWA column for cesium retention and DH18C6(XAD7) column for Sr isolation was performed

Actinide solubility in deep groundwaters - estimates for upper limits based on chemical equilibrium calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schweingruber, M.

1983-12-01

A chemical equilibrium model is used to estimate maximum upper concentration limits for some actinides (Th, U, Np, Pu, Am) in groundwaters. Eh/pH diagrams for solubility isopleths, dominant dissolved species and limiting solids are constructed for fixed parameter sets including temperature, thermodynamic database, ionic strength and total concentrations of most important inorganic ligands (carbonate, fluoride, phosphate, sulphate, chloride). In order to assess conservative conditions, a reference water is defined with high ligand content and ionic strength, but without competing cations. In addition, actinide oxides and hydroxides are the only solid phases considered. Recommendations for 'safe' upper actinide solubility limits for deep groundwaters are derived from such diagrams, based on the predicted Eh/pH domain. The model results are validated as far as the scarce experimental data permit. (Auth.)

Comparative studies of actinide and sub-actinide fission cross section calculation from MCNP6 and TALYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perkasa, Y. S.; Waris, A.; Kurniadi, R.; Su'ud, Z.

2014-01-01

Comparative studies of actinide and sub-actinide fission cross section calculation from MCNP6 and TALYS have been conducted. In this work, fission cross section resulted from MCNP6 prediction will be compared with result from TALYS calculation. MCNP6 with its event generator CEM03.03 and LAQGSM03.03 have been validated and verified for several intermediate and heavy nuclides fission reaction data and also has a good agreement with experimental data for fission reaction that induced by photons, pions, and nucleons at energy from several ten of MeV to about 1 TeV. The calculation that induced within TALYS will be focused mainly to several hundred MeV for actinide and sub-actinide nuclides and will be compared with MCNP6 code and several experimental data from other evaluator

Actinide nanoparticle research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalmykov, Stepan N.; Denecke, Melissa A.

2011-01-01

This is the first book to cover actinide nano research. It is of interest both for fundamental research into the chemistry and physics of f-block elements as well as for applied researchers such as those studying the long-term safety of nuclear waste disposal and developing remediation strategies. The authors cover important issues of the formation of actinide nano-particles, their properties and structure, environmental behavior of colloids and nanoparticles related to the safe disposal of nuclear wastes, modeling and advanced methods of characterization at the nano-scale. (orig.)

Microstructure evolution and dislocation behaviour in high chromium, fully ferritic steels strengthened by intermetallic Laves phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez Barrilao, Jennifer; Kuhn, Bernd; Wessel, Egbert

2018-05-01

In the present study a stainless, high strength, ferritic (non-martensitic) steel was analysed regarding microstructure and particle evolution. The preceding hot-rolling process of the steel results in the formation of sub-grain structures, which disappear over time at high temperature. Besides that the formation of particle-free zones was observed. The pronounced formation of these zones preferentially appears close to high angle grain boundaries and is considered to be responsible for long-term material failure under creep conditions. The reasons for this are lacking particle hardening and thus a concentration and accumulation of deformation in the particle free areas close to the grain boundaries. Accordingly in-depth investigations were performed by electron microscopy to analyse dislocation behaviour and its possible effect on the mechanical response of these weak areas. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burning minor actinides in a HTR energy spectrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pohl, Christoph; Rütten, H. Jochem

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Burn-up analysis for varying plutonium/minor actinide fuel compositions. ► The influence of varying heavy metal fuel element loads is investigated. ► Significant burn-up via radiative capture and subsequently fission is observed. ► Difference observed between fuel element burn-up and total actinide burning rate. - Abstract: The generation of nuclear energy by means of the existing nuclear reactor systems is based mainly on the fission of U-235. But this comes along with the capture of neutrons by the U-238 faction and results in a build-up of plutonium isotopes and minor actinides as neptunium, americium and curium. These actinides are dominant for the long time assessment of the radiological risk of a final disposal therefore a minimization of the long living isotopes is aspired. Burning the actinides in a high temperature helium cooled graphite moderated reactor (HTR) is one of these options. The use of plutonium isotopes to sustain the criticality of the system is intended to avoid on the one hand highly enriched uranium because of international regulations and on the other hand low enriched uranium because of the build up of new actinides from neutron capture in the U-238 fraction. Because initial minor actinide isotopes are typically not fissionable by thermal neutrons the idea is to fission instead the intermediate isotopes generated by the first neutron capture. This paper comprises calculations for plutonium/minor actinides/thorium fuel compositions and their correlated final burn-up for a generic pebble bed HTR based on the reference design of the 400 MW PBMR. In particular the cross sections and the neutron balance of the different minor actinide isotopes in the higher thermal energy spectrum of a HTR will be discussed. For a fuel mixture of plutonium and minor actinides a significant burn-up of these actinides up to 20% can be achieved but at the expense of a higher residual fraction of plutonium in the burned fuel. Combining

Neodymium partitioning in zirconolite-based glass-ceramics designed for minor actinides immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loiseau, P.; Caurant, D.; Baffier, N.; Fillet, C.

2000-01-01

This study deals with glass-ceramic matrices designed for the conditioning of minor actinides, in which zirconolite crystals (CaZrTi 2 O 7 ) are homogeneously dispersed in a residual glassy matrix. Good immobilization performances require a high enrichment of actinides in the crystalline phase (double containment principle). Glass-ceramics are obtained by controlled devitrification of an aluminosilicate parent glass containing large amounts of TiO 2 and ZrO 2 . Neodymium was selected to simulate the trivalent minor actinides. Crystallization was performed at 1200 deg. C for various Nd 2 O 3 contents (0 - 10 wt. %). In all cases, zirconolite crystallization is obtained in the bulk of glass-ceramics. The evolution of Nd 3+ location between the crystals and the residual glass was followed by electron spin resonance and optical absorption. Both techniques demonstrate that neodymium is partly incorporated in zirconolite crystals. Moreover, total Nd 2 O 3 content in parent glass has a strong effect on Nd 3+ ions distribution. (authors)

Actinides reduction by recycling in a thermal reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramirez S, J. R.; Martinez C, E.; Balboa L, H.

2014-10-01

This work is directed towards the evaluation of an advanced nuclear fuel cycle in which radioactive actinides could be recycled to remove most of the radioactive material; firstly a production reference of actinides in standard nuclear fuel of uranium at the end of its burning in a BWR reactor is established, after a fuel containing plutonium is modeled to also calculate the actinides production in MOX fuel type. Also it proposes a design of fuel rod containing 6% of actinides in a matrix of uranium from the tails of enrichment, then four standard uranium fuel rods are replaced by actinides rods to evaluate the production and transmutation thereof, the same procedure was performed in the fuel type MOX and the end actinide reduction in the fuel was evaluated. (Author)

Characterization of intermetallics in aluminum to zinc coated interstitial free steel joining by pulsed MIG brazing for automotive application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basak, Sushovan, E-mail: sushovanbasak@gmail.com [Metallurgical and Material Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata–700032 (India); Das, Hrishikesh, E-mail: hrishichem@gmail.com [Metallurgical and Material Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata–700032 (India); Pal, Tapan Kumar, E-mail: tkpal.ju@gmail.com [Metallurgical and Material Engineering Department, Jadavpur University, Kolkata–700032 (India); Shome, Mahadev, E-mail: mshome@tatasteel.com [Material Characterization & Joining Group, R & D, Tata Steel, Jamshedpur–831007 (India)

2016-02-15

In order to meet the demand for lighter and more fuel efficient vehicles, a significant attempt is currently being focused toward the substitution of aluminum for steel in the car body structure. It generates vital challenge with respect to the methods of joining to be used for fabrication. However, the conventional fusion joining has its own difficulty owing to formation of the brittle intermetallic phases. In this present study AA6061-T6 of 2 mm and HIF-GA steel sheet of 1 mm thick are metal inert gas (MIG) brazed with 0.8 mm Al–5Si filler wire under three different heat inputs. The effect of the heat inputs on bead geometry, microstructure and joint properties of MIG brazed Al-steel joints were exclusively studied and characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) assisted X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and selective area diffraction pattern. Finally microstructures were correlated with the performance of the joint. Diffusion induced intermetallic thickness measured by FESEM image and concentration profile agreed well with the numerically calculated one. HRTEM assisted EDS study was used to identify the large size FeAl{sub 3} and small size Fe{sub 2}Al{sub 5} type intermetallic compounds at the interface. The growth of these two phases in A2 (heat input: 182 J mm{sup −1}) is attributed to the slower cooling rate with higher diffusion time (~ 61 s) along the interface in comparison to the same for A1 (heat input: 155 J mm{sup −1}) with faster cooling rate and shorter diffusion time (~ 24 s). The joint efficiency as high as 65% of steel base metal is achieved for A2 which is the optimized parameter in the present study. - Highlights: • AA 6061 and HIF-GA could be successfully joined by MIG brazing. • Intermetallics are exclusively studied and characterized by XRD, FESEM and EPMA. • Intermetallic formation by diffusion is

TAILORING INORGANIC SORBENTS FOR SRS STRONTIUM AND ACTINIDE SEPARATIONS: OPTIMIZED MONOSODIUM TITANATE PHASE II FINAL REPORT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hobbs, D; Thomas Peters, T; Michael Poirier, M; Mark Barnes, M; Major Thompson, M; Samuel Fink, S

2007-01-01

This document provides a final report of Phase II testing activities for the development of a modified monosodium titanate (MST) that exhibits improved strontium and actinide removal characteristics compared to the baseline MST material. The activities included determining the key synthesis conditions for preparation of the modified MST, preparation of the modified MST at a larger scale by a commercial vendor, demonstration of the strontium and actinide removal characteristics with actual tank waste supernate and measurement of filtration characteristics. Key findings and conclusions include the following. Testing evaluated three synthetic methods and eleven process parameters for the optimum synthesis conditions for the preparation on an improved form of MST. We selected the post synthesis method (Method 3) for continued development based on overall sorbate removal performance. We successfully prepared three batches of the modified MST using Method 3 procedure at a 25-gram scale. The laboratory prepared modified MST exhibited increased sorption kinetics with simulated and actual waste solutions and similar filtration characteristics to the baseline MST. Characterization of the modified MST indicated that the post synthesis treatment did not significantly alter the particle size distribution, but did significantly increase the surface area and porosity compared to the original MST. Testing indicated that the modified MST exhibits reduced affinity for uranium compared to the baseline MST, reducing risk of fissile loading. Shelf-life testing indicated no change in strontium and actinide performance removal after storing the modified MST for 12-months at ambient laboratory temperature. The material releases oxygen during the synthesis and continues to offgas after the synthesis at a rapidly diminishing rate until below a measurable rate after 4 months. Optima Chemical Group LLC prepared a 15-kilogram batch of the modified MST using the post synthesis procedure (Method

Study of the actinide-lanthanide separation from nuclear waste by a new pyrochemical process; Etude de la separation actinides-lanthanides des dechets nucleaires par un procede pyrochimique nouveau

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lemort, F. [CEA Marcoule, Departement de Retraitement, des Dechets et du Demantelement, 30 - Bagnols-sur-Ceze (France)]|[Institut National Polytechnique, 38 - Grenoble (France)

1997-01-01

The theoretical extraction and separation of platinoids, actinides and lanthanides is allowed by thermodynamic using two adapted reducing agents: zinc and magnesium. Thereby, a pyrochemical method for the nuclear waste processing has been devised. The high temperature handling of the elements in fluoride forms and their processing by a reactive metallic phase required special precautions. The study of the behavior of matter in exploratory systems allowed the development of an experimental technology for the treatment and contacting of phases. The thermodynamical analysis of the experimental results shows the feasibility of the process. A model was developed to predict the distribution coefficients of zirconium, uranium and lanthanum as a function of the system composition. An estimation method was proposed in order to evaluate the distribution coefficients in diluted solution of all the actinides and lanthanides existing in the fission products between LiF CaF{sub 2} and Zn-Mg at 720 deg C. Coupled with the experimental results, the estimates results may be extrapolated to concentrated solutions allowing predictions of the separation of all actinides and lanthanides. The rapidity of element transfer is induced by a thermal effect caused by the high exothermicity of the reduction by magnesium. The kinetic coefficients have been linked with the reduction enthalpy of each element. Moreover, the kinetics seem limited by chemical reaction and not by mass transfer. (author) 66 refs.

PRODUCTION OF ACTINIDE METAL

Science.gov (United States)

Knighton, J.B.

1963-11-01

A process of reducing actinide oxide to the metal with magnesium-zinc alloy in a flux of 5 mole% of magnesium fluoride and 95 mole% of magnesium chloride plus lithium, sodium, potassium, calcium, strontium, or barium chloride is presented. The flux contains at least 14 mole% of magnesium cation at 600-- 900 deg C in air. The formed magnesium-zinc-actinide alloy is separated from the magnesium-oxide-containing flux. (AEC)

Control of interfacial intermetallic compounds in Fe–Al joining by Zn addition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, J. [Key Laboratory of Robot and Welding Automation of Jiangxi Province, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Center for Advanced Materials Joining, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 (Canada); Li, Y.L., E-mail: liyulong1112ster@gmail.com [Key Laboratory of Robot and Welding Automation of Jiangxi Province, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Zhang, H. [Key Laboratory of Robot and Welding Automation of Jiangxi Province, School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Guo, W. [Center for Advanced Materials Joining, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 (Canada); School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing 100191 (China); Zhou, Y. [Center for Advanced Materials Joining, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 (Canada)

2015-10-01

By Zn addition to the fusion zone, the interfacial intermetallic compounds (IMCs) of laser Al/steel joint changed from layered Fe{sub 2}Al{sub 5} and needle-like FeAl{sub 3} to layered Fe{sub 2}Al{sub 5−x}Zn{sub x} and dispersed FeZn{sub 10} with minor Al-rich amorphous phase. This resulted in an improvement in the joint strength and the change of failure mode.

Actinide metals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, Paul L. [Geochem Australia, Kiama, NSW (Australia); Ekberg, Christian [Chalmers Univ. of Technology, Goeteborg (Sweden). Nuclear Chemistry/Industrial Materials Recycling

2016-07-01

All isotopes of actinium are radioactive and exist in aqueous solution only in the trivalent state. There have been very few studies on the hydrolytic reactions of actinium(III). The hydrolysis reactions for uranium would only be important in alkaline pH conditions. Thermodynamic parameters for the hydrolysis species of uranium(VI) and its oxide and hydroxide phases can be determined from the stability and solubility constants. The hydrolytic behaviour of neptunium(VI) is quite similar to that of uranium(VI). The solubility constant of NpO{sub 2}OH(am) has been reported a number of times for both zero ionic strength and in fixed ionic strength media. Americium can form four oxidation states in aqueous solution, namely trivalent, tetravalent, pentavalent and hexavalent. Desire, Hussonnois and Guillaumont determined stability constants for the species AmOH{sup 2+} for the actinides, plutonium(III), americium(III), curium(III), berkelium(III) and californium(III) using a solvent extraction technique.

Actinide metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Paul L.; Ekberg, Christian

2016-01-01

All isotopes of actinium are radioactive and exist in aqueous solution only in the trivalent state. There have been very few studies on the hydrolytic reactions of actinium(III). The hydrolysis reactions for uranium would only be important in alkaline pH conditions. Thermodynamic parameters for the hydrolysis species of uranium(VI) and its oxide and hydroxide phases can be determined from the stability and solubility constants. The hydrolytic behaviour of neptunium(VI) is quite similar to that of uranium(VI). The solubility constant of NpO 2 OH(am) has been reported a number of times for both zero ionic strength and in fixed ionic strength media. Americium can form four oxidation states in aqueous solution, namely trivalent, tetravalent, pentavalent and hexavalent. Desire, Hussonnois and Guillaumont determined stability constants for the species AmOH 2+ for the actinides, plutonium(III), americium(III), curium(III), berkelium(III) and californium(III) using a solvent extraction technique.

Attenuation of spin resonance signals in media with the multi-component system of collectivized electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vojtenko, V.A.

1995-01-01

Universal relaxation theory of spectral line form at electron scattering light with spin flip at scattering of neutrons and at electron paramagnetic resonance, is plotted. Signals of spin resonances are shown to be subjected to strong attenuation caused by mutual transformations of various current carriers in multicomponent spin systems contained in intermetallic actinides with heavy fermions, in HTSC-crystals, in indirect highly alloyed semiconductors, solid solutions and superlattices. Physical reasons of observation of light strong scattering with spin flip in intermetallic actinides with semi-width independent of the wave vector are discussed. 19 refs

Effects of humic substances on the migration of radionuclides: Complexation of actinides with humic substances. 3. Progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.I.; Rhee, D.S.; Buckau, G.; Moulin, V.; Tits, J.; Decambox, P.; Franz, C.; Herrmann, G.; Trautmann, N.; Dierckx, A.; Vancluysen, J.; Maes, A.

1993-03-01

The aim of the present research programme is to study the complexation behaviour of actinide ions with humic substances in natural aquifer systems and hence to quantify the effect of humic substances on the actinide migration. Aquatic humic substances commonly found in all groundwaters in different concentrations have a strong tendency towards complexation with actinide ions. This is one of the major geochemical reactions but hitherto least quantified. Therefore, the effect of humic substances on the actinide migration is poorly understood. In the present research programme the complexation of actinide ions with humic substances will be described thermodynamically. This description will be based on a model being as simple as possible to allow an easy introduction of the resulting reaction constants into geochemical modelling of the actinide migration. This programme is a continuation of the activities of the COCO group in the second phase of the CEC-MIRAGE project. The programme consists of the following three main tasks: Task 1: Complexation reactions of actinide ions with well characterized reference and site-specific humic and fulvic acids; Task 2: Competition reactions with major cations in natural groundwaters; Task 3: Validation of the complexation data in natural aquatic systems by comparison of calculation with spectroscopic experiment. (orig./EF)

Potential carcinogenic effects of actinides in the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harley, N.H.; Pasternack, B.S.

1979-01-01

Inhalation of alpha emitting actinides delivers a dose to critical cancer sites in the human body. These sites are the bronchial epithelium and cells near bone surfaces. Inhalation of the naturally occurring actinides uranium and thorium in resuspended soil in the air results in a continuous exposure for the global population of about 0.1 fCi/m 3 for each of these actinides. The highest dose is from the natural actinide 230 Th. Over 50 yr, the dose to bronchial epithelium is 0.05 mrad and to bone surfaces 0.4 mrad. In the case of accidental environmental contamination (e.g. near a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant) the man-made actinides plutonium, americium and curium could deliver about the same alpha dose to these sites if the soil is contaminated to the same level as the natural actinides (approximately 1 pCi/g). Two nuclear accidents have already produced contamination of about this level. Exposures in this case, however, are to small local populations compared with global exposure for the natural actinides. Significant enhancement of the natural radioactive actinide pollution by combustion of all types of fossil fuel is suspected but not enough data are available to estimate total population doses. (author)

End point control of an actinide precipitation reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muske, K.R.

1997-01-01

The actinide precipitation reactors in the nuclear materials processing facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory are used to remove actinides and other heavy metals from the effluent streams generated during the purification of plutonium. These effluent streams consist of hydrochloric acid solutions, ranging from one to five molar in concentration, in which actinides and other metals are dissolved. The actinides present are plutonium and americium. Typical actinide loadings range from one to five grams per liter. The most prevalent heavy metals are iron, chromium, and nickel that are due to stainless steel. Removal of these metals from solution is accomplished by hydroxide precipitation during the neutralization of the effluent. An end point control algorithm for the semi-batch actinide precipitation reactors at Los Alamos National Laboratory is described. The algorithm is based on an equilibrium solubility model of the chemical species in solution. This model is used to predict the amount of base hydroxide necessary to reach the end point of the actinide precipitation reaction. The model parameters are updated by on-line pH measurements

On the suitability of lanthanides as actinide analogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raymond, Kenneth; Szigethy, Geza

2008-01-01

With the current level of actinide materials used in civilian power generation and the need for safe and efficient methods for the chemical separation of these species from their daughter products and for long-term storage requirements, a detailed understanding of actinide chemistry is of great importance. Due to the unique bonding properties of the f-elements, the lanthanides are commonly used as structural and chemical models for the actinides, but differences in the bonding between these 4f and 5f elements has become a question of immediate applicability to separations technology. This brief overview of actinide coordination chemistry in the Raymond group at UC Berkeley/LBNL examines the validity of using lanthanide analogs as structural models for the actinides, with particular attention paid to single crystal X-ray diffraction structures. Although lanthanides are commonly accepted as reasonable analogs for the actinides, these comparisons suggest the careful study of actinide materials independent of their lanthanide analogs to be of utmost importance to present and future efforts in nuclear industries. (authors)

Aqueous electrochemical mechanisms in actinide residue processing. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, D.L. Jr.; Burns, C.J.; Morris, D.E.; Smith, W.H.

1998-01-01

'New and/or improved solutions to the stabilization and volume reduction of nuclear materials processing residues are urgently needed. Mediated electrochemical oxidation/reduction (MEO/R) processes are one such approach for incinerator ash, combustibles, and other solid residues. However, questions remain concerning the mechanisms of these processes, and how they might be optimized. In addition, further research is merited to extend their range of applicability. Recent advances in the study of heterogeneous electron transfer in solid substrates have opened the door for the re-examination of electron transfer processes associated with redox mediated actinide dissolution. The authors develop a deeper understanding of the thermodynamic and mechanistic aspects of heterogeneous electron transfer that lie at the heart of these MEO/R processes. They will also develop and test new approaches based on the results of these fundamental studies using actual residue materials. Key aspects of this proposal include: (1) determination of the potential windows for oxidation/reduction of colloidal actinide oxides and actinide-bearing oxide and organic substrates and the e transfer kinetic parameters that govern the current--overpotential characteristics; (2) development of adaptations of mediation schemes and application of co-mediation reagents for oxidative and reductive dissolution based on complexation of the surface-bound or solid-phase actinides and/or the dissolved redox mediator;and (3) execution of bench-scale tests of new MEO/R schemes on actual residue materials.'

Review of actinide decorporation with chelating agents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ansoborlo, E. [CEA Valrho, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire (DEN/DRCP/CETAMA), 30 - Marcoule (France); Amekraz, B.; Moulin, Ch. [CEA Saclay, Dept. de Physico-Chimie (DEN/DPC/SECR), 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France); Moulin, V. [CEA Saclay, Dir. du Developpement et de l' Innovation Nucleares (DEN/DDIN/MR), 91 - Gif Sur Yvette (France); Taran, F. [CEA Saclay (DSV/DBJC/SMMCB), 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Bailly, Th.; Burgada, R. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS/LCSB/UMR 7033), 93 - Bobigny (France); Henge-Napoli, M.H. [CEA Valrho, Site de Marcoule (INSTN), 30 (France); Jeanson, A.; Den Auwer, Ch.; Bonin, L.; Moisy, Ph. [CEA Valrho, Dir. de l' Energie Nucleaire (DEN/DRCP/SCPS), 30 - Marcoule (France)

2007-10-15

In case of accidental release of radionuclides in a nuclear facility or in the environment, internal contamination (inhalation, ingestion or wound) with actinides represents a severe health risk to human beings. It is therefore important to provide effective chelation therapy or decorporation to reduce acute radiation damage, chemical toxicity, and late radiation effects. Speciation governs bioavailability and toxicity of elements and it is a prerequisite tool for the design and success of new ligands or chelating agents. The purpose of this review is to present the state-of-the-art of actinide decorporation within biological media, to recall briefly actinide metabolism, to list the basic constraints of actinide-ligand for development, to describe main tools developed and used for decorporation studies, to review mainly the chelating agents tested for actinides, and finally to conclude on the future trends in this field. (authors)

Ab Initio Enhanced calphad Modeling of Actinide-Rich Nuclear Fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morgan, Dane [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States); Yang, Yong Austin [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

2013-10-28

The process of fuel recycling is central to the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), where plutonium and the minor actinides (MA) Am, Np, and Cm are extracted from spent fuel and fabricated into new fuel for a fast reactor. Metallic alloys of U-Pu-Zr-MA are leading candidates for fast reactor fuels and are the current basis for fast spectrum metal fuels in a fully recycled closed fuel cycle. Safe and optimal use of these fuels will require knowledge of their multicomponent phase stability and thermodynamics (Gibbs free energies). In additional to their use as nuclear fuels, U-Pu-Zr-MA contain elements and alloy phases that pose fundamental questions about electronic structure and energetics at the forefront of modern many-body electron theory. This project will validate state-of-the-art electronic structure approaches for these alloys and use the resulting energetics to model U-Pu-Zr-MA phase stability. In order to keep the work scope practical, researchers will focus on only U-Pu-Zr-{Np,Am}, leaving Cm for later study. The overall objectives of this project are to: Provide a thermodynamic model for U-Pu-Zr-MA for improving and controlling reactor fuels; and, Develop and validate an ab initio approach for predicting actinide alloy energetics for thermodynamic modeling.

Transmutation of waste actinides in light water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorrell, T.C.

1979-04-01

Actinide recycle and transmutation calculations were made for three irradiation options of a light water reactor (LWR). The cases considered were: all actinides recycled in regular uranium fuel assemblies; transuranic actinides recycled in separate MOX assemblies with 235 U enrichment of uranium; and transuranic actinides recycled in separate MOX assemblies with plutonium enrichment of natural uranium. When all actinides were recycled in a uniform lattice, the transuranic inventory after ten recycles was 38% of the inventory accumulated without recycle. When the transuranics from two regular uranium assemblies were combined with those recycled from a MOX assembly, the transuranic inventory was reduced 50% after five recycles

Chemical compatibility of HLW borosilicate glasses with actinides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, C.T.; Scheffler, K.; Riege, U.

1978-11-01

During liquid storage of HLLW the formation of actinide enriched sludges is being expected. Also during melting of HLW glasses an increase of top-to-bottom actinide concentrations can take place. Both effects have been studied. Besides, the vitrification of plutonium enriched wastes from Pu fuel element fabrication plants has been investigated with respect to an isolated vitrification process or a combined one with the HLLW. It is shown that the solidification of actinides from HLLW and actinide waste concentrates will set no principal problems. The leaching of actinides has been measured in salt brine at 23 0 C and 115 0 C. (orig.) [de

Phase transitions and magnetocaloric effects in intermetallic compounds MnFeX (X=P, As, Si, Ge)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tegus, O.; Bao Li-Hong; Song Lin

2013-01-01

Since the discovery of giant magnetocaloric effect in MnFeP 1−x As x compounds, much valuable work has been performed to develop and improve Fe 2 P-type transition-metal-based magnetic refrigerants. In this article, the recent progress of our studies on fundamental aspects of theoretical considerations and experimental techniques, effects of atomic substitution on the magnetism and magnetocalorics of Fe 2 P-type intermetallic compounds MnFeX (X=P, As, Ge, Si) is reviewed. Substituting Si (or Ge) for As leads to an As-free new magnetic material MnFeP 1−x Si(Ge) x . These new materials show large magnetocaloric effects resembling MnFe(P, As) near room temperature. Some new physical phenomena, such as huge thermal hysteresis and ‘virgin’ effect, were found in new materials. On the basis of Landau theory, a theoretical model was developed for studying the mechanism of phase transition in these materials. Our studies reveal that MnFe(P, Si) compound is a very promising material for room-temperature magnetic refrigeration and thermo-magnetic power generation. (topical review - magnetism, magnetic materials, and interdisciplinary research)

Fundamental thermodynamics of actinide-bearing mineral waste forms. 1998 annual progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebbinghaus, B.B.; Williamson, M.A.

1998-01-01

'The end of the Cold War raised the need for the technical community to be concerned with the disposition of excess nuclear weapon material. The plutonium will either be converted into mixed-oxide fuel for use in nuclear reactors or immobilized in glass or ceramic waste forms and placed in a repository. The stability and behavior of plutonium in the ceramic materials as well as the phase behavior and stability of the ceramic material in the environment is not well established. In order to provide technically sound solutions to these issues, thermodynamic data are essential in developing an understanding of the chemistry and phase equilibria of the actinide-bearing mineral waste form materials proposed as immobilization matrices. Mineral materials of interest include zircon, zirconolite, and pyrochlore. High temperature solution calorimetry is one of the most powerful techniques, sometimes the only technique, for providing the fundamental thermodynamic data needed to establish optimum material fabrication parameters, and more importantly, understand and predict the behavior of the mineral materials in the environment. The purpose of this project is to experimentally determine the enthalpy of formation of actinide orthosilicates, the enthalpy of formation of actinide substituted zircon, zirconolite and pyrochlore, and develop an understanding of the bonding characteristics and stability of these materials. This report summarizes work after eight months of a three year project.'

Intermetallic precipitation in rare earth-treated A413.1 alloy. A metallographic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samuel, Agnes M.; Samuel, Fawzy H.

2018-01-01

The present study was performed mainly on A413.1 alloy. Measured amounts of La, Ce or La+Ce, Ti and Sr were added to the molten alloy in the form of master alloys. Samples sectioned from castings obtained from thermal analysis experiments were used for preparing samples for metallographic examination. The results show that addition of rare earth (RE) metals to Al-Si alloys increased the α-Al nucleation temperature and depressed the Al-Si eutectic formation temperature, thereby increasing the solidification range. Depending upon the alloying elements/additives, a large number of RE-based intermetallics could be formed: Al 4 (Ce,La), Al 13 (Ce,La) 2 Cu 3 , Al 7 (Cu,Fe) 6 (Ce,La) 6 Si 2 , Al 4 La, Al 2 La 5 Si 2 , Al 2 Ce 5 Si 2 , Al 2 (Ce,La) 5 Si 2 . Under an electron microscope, these phases appear in backscatter imaging mode in the form of thin grayish-white platelets on the dark gray Al matrix. The average thickness of these platelets is about 1.5 μm. When the alloy is grain refined with Ti-based master alloys, precipitation of a gray phase in the form of sludge is observed: Al 12 La 3 Ti 2 , or Al 12 (Ce,La) 3 Ti 2 . Regardless the alloy composition, the RE/Al ratios remain constant in each type of intermetallic. Rare earth metals have a strong affinity to react with Sr (resulting in partial modification of the eutectic Si particles) as well as some transition elements, in particular Ti and Cu. Iron has a very low affinity for interaction with RE metals. It is only confined to Fe-based intermetallics.

Intermetallic precipitation in rare earth-treated A413.1 alloy. A metallographic study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samuel, Agnes M.; Samuel, Fawzy H. [Univ. du Quebec a Chicoutimi (Canada). Dept. des Sciences Appliquees; Doty, Herbert W. [General Motors, Pontiac, MI (United States). Materials Engineering; Valtierra, Salvador [Nemak, S.A., Garza Garcia (Mexico)

2018-02-15

The present study was performed mainly on A413.1 alloy. Measured amounts of La, Ce or La+Ce, Ti and Sr were added to the molten alloy in the form of master alloys. Samples sectioned from castings obtained from thermal analysis experiments were used for preparing samples for metallographic examination. The results show that addition of rare earth (RE) metals to Al-Si alloys increased the α-Al nucleation temperature and depressed the Al-Si eutectic formation temperature, thereby increasing the solidification range. Depending upon the alloying elements/additives, a large number of RE-based intermetallics could be formed: Al{sub 4}(Ce,La), Al{sub 13}(Ce,La){sub 2}Cu{sub 3}, Al{sub 7}(Cu,Fe){sub 6}(Ce,La){sub 6}Si{sub 2}, Al{sub 4}La, Al{sub 2}La{sub 5}Si{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}Ce{sub 5}Si{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}(Ce,La){sub 5}Si{sub 2}. Under an electron microscope, these phases appear in backscatter imaging mode in the form of thin grayish-white platelets on the dark gray Al matrix. The average thickness of these platelets is about 1.5 μm. When the alloy is grain refined with Ti-based master alloys, precipitation of a gray phase in the form of sludge is observed: Al{sub 12}La{sub 3}Ti{sub 2}, or Al{sub 12}(Ce,La){sub 3}Ti{sub 2}. Regardless the alloy composition, the RE/Al ratios remain constant in each type of intermetallic. Rare earth metals have a strong affinity to react with Sr (resulting in partial modification of the eutectic Si particles) as well as some transition elements, in particular Ti and Cu. Iron has a very low affinity for interaction with RE metals. It is only confined to Fe-based intermetallics.

Transmutation of minor actinide using thorium fueled BWR core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Susilo, Jati

2002-01-01

One of the methods to conduct transmutation of minor actinide is the use of BWR with thorium fuel. Thorium fuel has a specific behaviour of producing a little secondary minor actinides. Transmutation of minor actinide is done by loading it in the BWR with thorium fuel through two methods, namely close recycle and accumulation recycle. The calculation of minor actinide composition produced, weigh of minor actinide transmuted, and percentage of reminder transmutation was carried SRAC. The calculations were done to equivalent cell modeling from one fuel rod of BWR. The results show that minor actinide transmutation is more effective using thorium fuel than uranium fuel, through both close recycle and accumulation recycle. Minor actinide transmutation weight show that the same value for those recycle for 5th recycle. And most of all minor actinide produced from 5 unit BWR uranium fuel can transmuted in the 6 t h of close recycle. And, the minimal value of excess reactivity of the core is 12,15 % Δk/k, that is possible value for core operation

Actinide recovery from waste and low-grade sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navratil, J.D.; Schulz, W.W.

1982-01-01

Actinide and nuclear fuel cycle operations generate a variety of process waste streams. New methods are needed to remove and recover actinides. More interest is also being expressed in recovering uranium from oceans, phosphoric acid, and other low grade sources. To meet the need for an up-to-date status report in the area of actinide recovery from waste and low grade sources, these papers were brought together. The papers provide an authoritative, in-depth coverage of an important area of nuclear and industrial and engineering chemistry which cover the following topics: uranium recovery from oceans and phosphoric acid; recovery of actinides from solids and liquid wastes; plutonium scrap recovery technology; and other new developments in actinide recovery processes

Transmutation of LWR waste actinides in thermal reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorrell, T.C.