Microstructure of RERTR DU-alloys irradiated with krypton ions up to 100 dpa

The radiation stability of the interaction product formed at the fuel–matrix interface of research reactor dispersion fuels, under fission-product bombardment, has a strong impact on fuel performance. Three depleted uranium alloys were cast that consisted of the following five phases to be investigated: U(Si, Al)3, (U, Mo)(Si, Al)3, UMo2Al20, U6Mo4Al43, and UAl4. Irradiation of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) disc samples with 500-keV Kr ions at 200 °C to doses up to ∼100 displacements per atom (dpa) were conducted using a 300-keV electron microscope equipped with an ion accelerator. TEM results show that the U(Si, Al)3 and UAl4 phases remain crystalline at 100 dpa without forming voids. The (U, Mo)(Si, Al)3 and UMo2Al20 phases become amorphous at 1 and ∼2 dpa, respectively, and show no evidence of voids at 100 dpa. The U6Mo4Al43 phase goes to amorphous at less than 1 dpa and reveals high density voids at 100 dpa.