About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Special Topics in Nuclear Materials: Reproducibility and Uncertainty; Hydrogen Effects; Space and Microreactor Systems
|
| Presentation Title |
Thermophysical Properties of Irradiated Yttrium Hydride Moderator Material |
| Author(s) |
Scott C. Middlemas, Narayan Poudel, Tsvetoslav R Pavlov, Ian Hobbs, Joey Charboneau, Chase Taylor, Mahmut Nedim Cinbiz |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Scott C. Middlemas |
| Abstract Scope |
Yttrium hydride (YHx) is a promising candidate material for neutron moderating components in future microreactors due to its ability to retain hydrogen at much higher temperatures than other hydrogenous materials. Knowledge of material properties in both as-fabricated and post-irradiated conditions is critical for understanding the moderator performance during steady-state and transient reactor operations and are an essential component of a reactor materials qualification strategy. A comprehensive irradiation campaign was conducted at the Advanced Test Reactor at Idaho National Laboratory as well as post irradiation examination of YHx at the Material and Fuels Complex. The thermal stability and heat capacities of both fresh and irradiated specimens were measured using differential scanning calorimetry, and bulk thermal diffusivity was measured using the laser flash method. Changes in thermal properties of fresh vs. irradiated specimens with varying hydrogen concentration, fabrication technique, and irradiation temperature will be discussed. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Characterization, Phase Transformations |