About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
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| Symposium
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Special Topics in Nuclear Materials: Reproducibility and Uncertainty; Hydrogen Effects; Space and Microreactor Systems
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| Presentation Title |
K-10: In-Situ TEM Study of Gamma Hydride Behavior During Thermal Cycling in Zircaloy-4: Transformation Kinetics, Mechanisms, and Sample Preparation Effects |
| Author(s) |
Joshua A. Silverstein, Kayla Yano, Jacqueline Royer, Gabrielle Schuler, Tanvi Ajantiwalay, Daniel Perea, Walter Luscher |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Joshua A. Silverstein |
| Abstract Scope |
This research investigates the thermal stability and transformation behavior of the γ (gamma) hydride phase in Zircaloy-4 using in-situ transmission electron microscopy. The study captures real-time structural evolution during controlled heating and cooling cycles to understand the conditions under which γ transforms into the more stable δ (delta) phase and the potential reversibility of this transformation. Attention is given to interface dynamics, phase boundary migration, and the orientation relationships that govern transformation mechanisms. Additionally, the effect of sample preparation techniques, comparing cryogenic-focused ion beam versus ambient-temperature FIB, is evaluated, with observations indicating differences in retained phase morphology and thermal response. These findings offer key insights into the kinetic parameters and mechanistic pathways involved in hydride evolution, with implications for modeling hydrogen behavior and predicting performance degradation in Zircaloy-4. The results contribute to improving its use as a tritium getter in nuclear fuel components, particularly in tritium-producing burnable absorber rods (TPBARs). |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Characterization, Phase Transformations, Nuclear Materials |