10B(n, α)7Li reaction-induced gas bubble formation in Al–B4C neutron absorber irradiated in spent nuclear fuel pool

Jung, Yunsong; Lee, Myeongkyu; Kim, Ki‐Young; Ahn, Sangjoon

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152077

Cited by 21 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…However, for applications in the nuclear industry (e.g., neutron absorbers, baskets for spent nuclear fuel), bulk MMCs with thickness up to 10 mm are used [2,30]. Moreover, basket structures for spent nuclear fuel use aluminium cladded MMCs to prevent corrosion and boron loss [31]. MMCs produced by the FSAP method show a similar feature-from below there is a layer of aluminium base material (approximately 1 mm thick) which remained unaffected during processing, and from above there is a layer of aluminium with low particle content which was formed by the tool shoulder.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of Al-B4C Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Friction Stir Additive Processing

Zubcak

Šoltés

Zimina

et al. 2021

Metals

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Aluminium—boron carbide metal matrix composites (Al-B4C MMCs) belong to the class of materials extensively used in the nuclear industry as a thermal neutron absorber in spent fuel casks. This article investigates a novel production method of Al-B4C MMCs—Friction Stir Additive Processing (FSAP)—as an alternative production method to casting or sintering. FSAP is derived from friction stir welding, which can be used to local modifications of microstructure, or it can be used to incorporate the second phase into the processed material. During this study, a variant of FSAP for MMC production was proposed, and its mechanical and thermal neutron absorbing properties have been investigated. Further, the influence of neutron irradiation on mechanical properties has been studied. Results show that FSAP can successfully produce Al-B4C MMCs with 7 mm thickness. Neutron irradiation causes only a slight increase in hardness, while its effect on tensile properties remains inconclusive.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation of Al-B4C Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Friction Stir Additive Processing

Zubcak

Šoltés

Zimina

et al. 2021

Metals

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“…Recent studies [12,13] observed significant surface corrosion of the surveillance coupons of a non-clad Al-B 4 C MMC neutron absorber used for less than 9 years in an SFP, which was wholly inconsistent with the guaranteed 40 years of service life. Microstructure characterization of the surveillance coupons using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) revealed a porous microstructure with numerous locally formed voids and bubbles filled with He and H near B 4 C particles [12]. This type of microstructure clearly exceeded the degree of degradation expected solely due to gammaray and fast neutron irradiation, considering their low fluence in SFPs [14][15][16][17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of Radiation Damage and He Accumulation Induced by ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li Reactions in Al‐B₄C Neutron Absorbers Used in Spent Fuel Pools

Kim,

Lee,

Jung

et al. 2024

International Journal of Energy Research

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Faster than expected surface corrosion and a considerable decrease in the 10B areal density of a non-clad Al-B4C neutron absorber were recently reported from surveillance coupons used in a spent fuel pool for about 8 years, which is only approximately one-fifth of the guaranteed service life of the absorber. Such premature degradation was largely attributed to irradiation-assisted corrosion since numerous gas bubbles filled with He and H were discovered in the Al alloy matrix near B4C particles, and naturally 10B(n, α)7Li reactions were designated as the underlying mechanism for the porosification that may have expedited the absorber corrosion. In this study, the levels of radiation damage and He concentration in the micrographs published in recent experimental studies were estimated to design ion beam irradiation experiments having appropriate parameters to emulate the status of neutron-irradiated non-clad Al-B4C absorbers. TRITON, CSAS6, and SDTrimSP were coupled with modifications for the calculation of dpa and He concentration in irradiated neutron absorbers. The simulations yielded 3.74–6.71 dpa and 0.71–1.64 at% of He after 99 months of use and 3.82–8.39 dpa and 0.73–2.08 at% of He after 40 years of use. The simulations also demonstrated that the radiation damage and He concentration have a weak correlation with the particle diameter. In terms of radiation damage, these results are in good agreement with the reported experimental data, indicating that they can be referred to in the experimental design. The calculated He concentrations, however, may warrant modification to include leakage of implanted He atoms through irradiation-induced microcracks in the B4C particles. Because of the high diffusivity of He, full leakage of He from B4C particles to their boundaries with the Al alloy matrix was assumed for further estimations, which revealed that He concentration could be significantly elevated in the Al matrix near B4C particles.

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“…Lithium (Li) and its compounds, as important strategic resources that exist in the natural world, have drawn a lot of interest from a variety of businesses, such as glass, ceramics, and nuclear industries. − Due to the significant development of Li-ion batteries in electric energy storage, mobile electronics, and electric vehicles, the demand for Li increases rapidly. − Li consumption is expected to expand steadily between 8% and 11% per year, reaching a total of 900 000 tons in 2025. , Li resources on earth can be mainly classified into brines and ores, in which brines account for more than 67% of the total. , Nowadays, the main technology for the extraction of Li from brines is the lime-soda evaporation process, an evaporation-based technology. However, it takes a very long time (typically one to two years) to go from brine water to Li production.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Internal Electric Field Built on Heterointerface of H₂TiO₃/H₄Ti₅O₁₂ Hybrid Enabling Promoted Li Extraction Performance

Wan

et al. 2023

ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces

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With potentially high lithium (Li) exchange capacity and long cycle ability, Ti-based oxides of H2TiO3 and H4Ti5O12 are considered to be promising Li-ion sieve (LIS) materials applied for Li resource extraction in the liquid phase. However, the LISs usually demonstrate unsatisfactory Li exchange performance under the approximately neutral condition without the strong impetus derived from the rapid combination between OH– in the surrounding solution and H+ ionized from LIS. Herein, a hybrid of H2TiO3/H4Ti5O12 with rich phase boundaries is constructed via a facile one-step solid-state method. Owing to the different Fermi energy levels of the two phases, the electrons are transferred at the phase interface between H2TiO3 and H4Ti5O12, developing an internal electric field (IEF). The built IEF provides an extra driving force to boost the solid-phase Li+ transport, hence enhancing the Li extraction kinetics. Threrfore, the H2TiO3/H4Ti5O12 hybrid exhibits outstanding Li exchange performance of 42.43 and 20.50 mg g–1 under alkaline and neutral conditions, corresponding to the hightest Li extraction rate of 5.30 and 2.05 mg g–1 h–1 reported so far. Our work offers an innovative strategy to promote the Li exchange performance of LIS especially under neutral conditions.

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10B(n, α)7Li reaction-induced gas bubble formation in Al–B4C neutron absorber irradiated in spent nuclear fuel pool

Cited by 21 publications

References 19 publications

Investigation of Al-B4C Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Friction Stir Additive Processing

Investigation of Al-B4C Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Friction Stir Additive Processing

Simulation of Radiation Damage and He Accumulation Induced by ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li Reactions in Al‐B₄C Neutron Absorbers Used in Spent Fuel Pools

Internal Electric Field Built on Heterointerface of H₂TiO₃/H₄Ti₅O₁₂ Hybrid Enabling Promoted Li Extraction Performance

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10B(n, α)7Li reaction-induced gas bubble formation in Al–B4C neutron absorber irradiated in spent nuclear fuel pool

Cited by 21 publications

References 19 publications

Investigation of Al-B4C Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Friction Stir Additive Processing

Investigation of Al-B4C Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Friction Stir Additive Processing

Simulation of Radiation Damage and He Accumulation Induced by 10B(n, α)7Li Reactions in Al‐B4C Neutron Absorbers Used in Spent Fuel Pools

Internal Electric Field Built on Heterointerface of H2TiO3/H4Ti5O12 Hybrid Enabling Promoted Li Extraction Performance

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Product

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Simulation of Radiation Damage and He Accumulation Induced by ¹⁰B(n, α)⁷Li Reactions in Al‐B₄C Neutron Absorbers Used in Spent Fuel Pools

Internal Electric Field Built on Heterointerface of H₂TiO₃/H₄Ti₅O₁₂ Hybrid Enabling Promoted Li Extraction Performance