About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T26: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
2026 Graduate Student Poster Contest
|
| Presentation Title |
SPG-28: Rate Theory Modeling of Irradiation-Induced Dislocation Loop Evolution in Uranium Nitride and Uranium Carbide Fuels |
| Author(s) |
Frank Worman Garcia Eslava |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Frank Worman Garcia Eslava |
| Abstract Scope |
Uranium nitride and uranium carbide are promising candidate nuclear fuels, but their irradiation response requires predictive models that connect irradiation conditions to defect microstructure evolution. In this work, a rate theory framework is developed to describe irradiation-induced dislocation loop evolution in these materials. The model extends a rate theory description by introducing an interpretable loop lifetime term for dislocation loop evolution. The extended RT model reproduces the observed evolution of loop radius and loop density in both uranium nitride and uranium carbide. The loop-removal mechanisms show that loop density is more sensitive than loop radius to the lifetime formulation, while loop radius remains controlled mainly by the diffusion coefficients. The analysis further indicates that loop absorption at the free surface provides the best description of the observed decrease in loop density and that simultaneous fitting of loop radius and loop density gives more meaningful insight into the fitted diffusion coefficients. |