About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES) 2025
|
| Symposium
|
Materials in Nuclear Energy Systems (MiNES) 2025
|
| Presentation Title |
Thermodynamics, Synthesis, and Characterization of Multi-Component Uranium Carbides for Nuclear Systems in Extreme Environments |
| Author(s) |
Geronimo Robles, Shane Mann, Benjamin Walusiak, Benjamin Liu, Jason Rizk, Kai Duemmler, Maria Kosmidou, Joshua White, David Andersson, Erofili Kardoulaki, Najeb M. Abdul-Jabbar |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Najeb M. Abdul-Jabbar |
| Abstract Scope |
Nuclear systems operating in extreme environments require thermally resilient fuel forms for optimal power generation. Ternary monocarbides of (U,Ta)C, (U,Nb)C, and (U,Zr)C have been explored, with the latter being extensively studied. Information on the related quaternary and quinary carbides remains sparse, yet there may be optimized fuels that can be discovered in this composition space that will be stable under thermal extremes. In this presentation, synthesis of carbide fuels in the U-Ta-Nb-Zr-C system via arc melting will be discussed. Thermal processing of arc melted specimens has shown that near single-phase microstructures can be achieved and confirmed by electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Subsequent thermophysical property measurements on processed (U, Ta, Nb, Zr)C fuels will also be discussed. First-principles calculations of mixing enthalpy of multi-component uranium carbides were also carried out, and when integrated with current experimental results, may provide valuable information for ongoing thermodynamic assessments of carbide nuclear fuels at ultra-high temperatures. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |