Water Resistant Properties of Uranium Silicide High Density Fuels for Enhanced Accident Tolerance
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Uranium Silicide (U3Si2) is a leading candidate for higher density fuels to be
used in future fission reactors since they provide a potential economic and
safety advantage over existing fuel-clad combinations.
The project will seek to provide an in depth experimental study of the surface
reactivity of U3Si2 with water over a range of pressure and temperature
conditions analogous to i) ambient storage, ii) normal LWR operating
conditions, and iii) accident conditions. The project will make use of a specialist UHV actinide sputter-deposition
instrument to fabricate U3Si2 thin film samples of different crystal orientations. Samples will be analysed and subjected to controlled water corrosion in monitored experimental cells to accurately derive corrosion rates.
used in future fission reactors since they provide a potential economic and
safety advantage over existing fuel-clad combinations.
The project will seek to provide an in depth experimental study of the surface
reactivity of U3Si2 with water over a range of pressure and temperature
conditions analogous to i) ambient storage, ii) normal LWR operating
conditions, and iii) accident conditions. The project will make use of a specialist UHV actinide sputter-deposition
instrument to fabricate U3Si2 thin film samples of different crystal orientations. Samples will be analysed and subjected to controlled water corrosion in monitored experimental cells to accurately derive corrosion rates.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Ross Springell (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Eleanor Lawrence Bright (Student) |
Publications
Harding L
(2023)
Epitaxial stabilisation of uranium silicide line compounds
in Thin Solid Films
Lawrence Bright E
(2019)
Comparing the corrosion of uranium nitride and uranium dioxide surfaces with H2O2
in Journal of Nuclear Materials
Lawrence Bright E
(2018)
Epitaxial UN and a-U2N3 thin films
in Thin Solid Films
Lawrence Bright E
(2019)
Synchrotron x-ray scattering of magnetic and electronic structure of UN and U 2 N 3 epitaxial films
in Physical Review B
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509085/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2021 | |||
| 1652612 | Studentship | EP/N509085/1 | 01/10/2015 | 30/09/2019 | Eleanor Lawrence Bright |