Study on chemical interaction between UO and Zr at precisely controlled high temperatures

Shirasu, Noriko  ; Sato, Takumi ; Suzuki, Akihiro*; Nagae, Yuji ; Kurata, Masaki 

Interaction tests between UO and Zr were performed at precisely controlled high temperatures between 1840 and 2000 C to understand the interaction mechanism in detail. A Zr rod was inserted in a UO crucible and then heat-treated at a fixed temperature in Ar-gas flow for 10 min. After heating in the range of 1890 to 1930 C, the Zr rod was deformed to a round shape, in which the post-analysis detected the significant diffusion of U into the Zr region and the formation of a dominant -Zr(O) matrix and a small amount of U-Zr-O precipitates. The abrupt progress of liquefaction was observed in the sample heated at around 1940 C or higher. The higher oxygen concentration in the -Zr(O) matrix suppressed the liquefaction progress, due to the variation in the equilibrium state. The U-Zr-O melt formation progressed by the selective dissolution of Zr from the matrix, and the selective diffusion of U could occur via the U-Zr-O melt.