TEM identification of subsurface phases in ternary U-Pu-Zr fuel

Phases and microstructure in as-cast, annealed at 850 °C, and subsequently cooled U-23Pu-9Zr fuel were characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. SEM examination shows formation of three phases in the alloy that were identified in TEM using selective area diffraction pattern analysis: α-Zr globular and elongated δ-UZr2 inclusions and a thick oxide layer formed on top of β-Pu phase, which has been initially assumed to be ζ-(U, Pu). However, further examination of the cross-sectional TEM specimens identified the matrix phases as δ-UZr2, β-Pu, and (U, Zr)ht. Two types of inclusions were observed in the immediate vicinity of the specimen surface and they were consistent with α-Zr and ζ-(U, Pu).