Oxide dispersion strengthened steels

Ukai, Shigeharu*; Ono, Naoko*; Otsuka, Satoshi

Comprehensive Nuclear Materials, 2nd Edition, Vol.3, p.255 - 292, 2020/08

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-803581-8.11718-7

Fe-Cr-based oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels have a strong potential for high burnup (long-life) and high-temperature applications typical for SFR fuel cladding. Current progress in the development of Fe-Cr-based ODS steel claddings is reviewed, including their relevant mechanical properties, e.g. tensile and creep rupture strengths in the hoop directions. In addition, this paper reviewed the current research status on corrosion resistant Fe-Cr-Al-based ODS steel claddings, which are greatly paid attention recently as the accident tolerant fuel claddings for the light water reactor (LWR) and also as the claddings of the lead fast reactors (LFR) utilizing Pb-Bi eutectic (LBE) coolant.

Evaluation of oxidation efficiency of hydrophobic palladium catalyst for H monitoring in radioactive gaseous waste

Furutani, Misa; Kometani, Tatsunari; Nakagawa, Masahiro; Ueno, Yumi; Sato, Junya; Iwai, Yasunori*

Hoken Butsuri (Internet), 55(2), p.97 - 101, 2020/06

https://doi.org/10.5453/jhps.55.97

Herein, an oxidation catalyst was introduced after heating it to 600C to oxidize tritium gas (HT) existing in exhaust into tritiated water vapor (HTO). This study aims to establish a safer H monitoring system by lowering the heating temperature required for the catalyst. In these experiments, which were conducted in the Nuclear Science Research Institute, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, cupric oxide, hydrophobic palladium/silicon dioxide (Pd/SiO), and platinum/aluminum oxide (Pt/AlO) catalysts were ventilated using standard hydrogen gas. After comparing the oxidation efficiency of each catalyst at different temperatures, we found that the hydrophobic Pd/SiO and Pt/AlO catalysts could oxidize HT into HTO at 25C.

Physical properties of non-stoichiometric (U,Pu)O

Watanabe, Masashi; Matsumoto, Taku; Hirooka, Shun; Morimoto, Kyoichi; Kato, Masato

2018 GIF Symposium Proceedings (Internet), p.315 - 320, 2020/05

Recently, a research group studying at Plutonium Fuel Development Facility (PFDF) in Japan Atomic Energy Agency has systematically measured vast amounts of physical properties in the non-stoichiometric (U, Pu)O. Lattice parameter, elastic modulus, thermal expansion, oxygen potential, oxygen chemical diffusion coefficient and thermal conductivity were successfully measured as function of Pu content, O/M ratio and temperature, and the effects of Pu content and O/M ratio on their physical properties were evaluated. In this work, those experimental data are reviewed, and latest experimental data set on the non-stoichiometric (U, Pu)O are presented. The data set would be available in development of a fuel performance code.

Computer code analysis of irradiation performance of axially heterogeneous mixed oxide fuel elements attaining high burnup in a fast reactor

Uwaba, Tomoyuki; Yokoyama, Keisuke; Nemoto, Junichi*; Ishitani, Ikuo*; Ito, Masahiro*; Pelletier, M.*

Nuclear Engineering and Design, 359, p.110448_1 - 110448_7, 2020/04

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nucengdes.2019.110448

Coupled computer code analyses of irradiation performance of axially heterogeneous mixed oxide (MOX) fuel elements with high burnup in a fast reactor were conducted. Post-irradiation experiments revealed local concentration of Cs near the interfaces between MOX fuel and blanket columns including the internal blanket of the fuel elements as well as an increase in their cladding diameters. The analyses indicated that the local Cs concentration occurred as a result of Cs axial migration from the MOX fuels toward the blanket pellets near the interfaces. Swelling of the blanket pellets induced by the formation of low-density Cs-U-O compound was not sufficient to cause pellet-to-cladding mechanical interaction (PCMI). The PCMI analyzed in the MOX fuel column regions was insignificant, and the cladding diameter increases were caused mainly by void swelling in cladding and irradiation creep due to fission gas pressure.

Zeolitic vanadomolybdates as high-performance cathode-active materials for sodium-ion batteries

Zhang, Z,*; Wang, H.*; Yoshikawa, Hirofumi*; Matsumura, Daiju; Hatao, Shuya*; Ishikawa, Satoshi*; Ueda, Wataru*

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 12(5), p.6056 - 6063, 2020/02

https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.9b19808

Sequestration and oxidation of Cr(III) by fungal Mn oxides with Mn(II) oxidizing activity

Suzuki, Ryohei*; Tani, Yukinori*; Naito, Hirotaka*; Miyata, Naoyuki*; Tanaka, Kazuya

Catalysts, 10(1), p.44_1 - 44_15, 2020/01

https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10010044

We prepared biogenic Mn oxides (BMOs) using strain KR21-2, and subsequently conducted single or repeated treatment experiments in Cr(NO) at pH6.0. Under aerobic conditions, newly formed BMOs exhibited a rapid production of Cr(VI) without a significant release of Mn(II), demonstrating that newly formed BMO mediates a catalytic oxidation of Cr(III) with a self-regeneration step of reduced Mn. In anaerobic solution, newly formed BMOs showed a cessation of Cr(III) oxidation in the early stage of the reaction, and subsequently had a much smaller Cr(VI) production with significant release of reduced Mn(II).

Development of fabrication and inspection technologies for oxidation-resistant fuel element for high-temperature gas-cooled reactors

Aihara, Jun; Yasuda, Atsushi*; Ueta, Shohei; Ogawa, Hiroaki; Honda, Masaki*; Ohira, Koichi*; Tachibana, Yukio

Nippon Genshiryoku Gakkai Wabun Rombunshi, 18(4), p.237 - 245, 2019/12

https://doi.org/10.3327/taesj.J19.002

Development of fabrication and inspection technologies of oxidation resistant fuel element for improvement of safety of high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs) in severe oxidation accident was carried out. Simulated coated fuel particles (CFPs), alumina particles, were over-coated with mixed powder of Si, C and small amount of resin to form over-coated particles, and over-coated particles were molded and hot-pressed to sinter simulated oxidation resistant fuel elements with SiC/C mixed matrix. Simulated oxidation resistant fuel elements with matrix whose Si/C mole ratio is 1.00 were fabricated. Failure fraction of CFPs in fuel elements is one of very important inspection subjects of HTGR fuel. It is essential that CFPs are extracted from fuel elements without additional failure. Development of method for extraction of CFPs was carried out. Desolation of SiC by KOH method or pressurized acidolysis method should be applied to extraction of CFPs.

Influence of applied load on oxidation in the vicinity of crack tips of stainless steel under high temperature water

Kasahara, Shigeki; Chimi, Yasuhiro; Hata, Kuniki; Hanawa, Satoshi

Zairyo To Kankyo, 68(9), p.240 - 247, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.3323/jcorr.68.240

In order to study environment assisted cracking mechanism of stainless steel under BWR primary coolant condition, effects of applied load on oxidation in the vicinity of crack tips of CT specimens were evaluated. Loaded CT specimens were immersed in an aqueous condition at 290C as a simulated BWR coolant condition, and microstructural observation on oxide near the tips of pre-cracks was carried out. Oxide inner layers, which consisted of fine grain magnetite containing Fe and Cr were formed, and oxide outer layers consisting of large grains of FeO were observed to cover the inner layers. FEM analysis of stress and strain in the loaded CT specimen suggests that both of dislocations due to localized plastic deformation and elastic strain could play important roles to accelerate inner oxide formation in the vicinity of the crack tip of the specimens.

Current-induced modulation of coercive field in the ferromagnetic oxide SrRuO

Yamanouchi, Michihiko*; Oyamada, Tatsuro*; Sato, Koichi*; Ota, Hiromichi*; Ieda, Junichi

IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 55(7), p.1400604_1 - 1400604_4, 2019/07

https://doi.org/10.1109/TMAG.2019.2894897

Importance of root uptake of CO on C transfer to plants impacted by below-ground CH release

Ota, Masakazu; Tanaka, Taku*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 201, p.5 - 18, 2019/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.01.012

CH released from deep underground radioactive waste disposal facilities can be a belowground source of CO owing to microbial oxidation of CH to CO in soils. Environmental C models assume that the transfer of CO from soil to plant occurs via foliar uptake of CO. Nevertheless, the importance of CO root uptake is not well understood. In the present study, belowground transport and oxidation of CH were modeled and incorporated into an existing land surface CO model (SOLVEG-II) to assess the importance of root uptake on CO transfer to plants. Performance of the model in calculating the belowground dynamics of CH was validated by simulating a field experiment of CH injection into subsoil. The model was then applied to C transfer in a hypothetical ecosystem impacted by continuous CH input from the water table (bottom of one-meter thick soil). In a shallowly rooted ecosystem with rooting depth of 11 cm, foliar uptake of CO was significant, accounting for 80% of the C accumulation in the leaves. In a deeply rooted ecosystem (rooting depth of 97 cm), where the root penetrated to depths close to the water-table, more than half (63%) the C accumulated in the leaves was transferred by the root uptake. We found that CO root uptake in this ecosystem depended on the distribution of methane oxidation in the soil; all C accumulated in the leaves was transferred by the root uptake when methane oxidation occurred at considerable depths (e-folding depths of 20 cm, or 80 cm). These results indicate that CO root uptake contributes significantly to CO transfer to plants if CH oxidation occurs at great depths and roots penetrate deeply into the soil.