EFFECTS OF IRRADIATION ON SOME CORROSION-RESISTANT FUEL ALLOYS

An investigation was made of the behavior under irradiation of uranium- rich corrosion-resistant alloys with the following nominal compositions: U--3 wt.% Nb, U--3 wt.% Nb--0.5 wt.% Sn, U/sub 3/Si (U--3.8 wt.% Si), and U--2 wt.% Zr (diffusion heat treated). The U--3 wt.% Nb alloy in the rolled and gamma- quenched condition was highly unstable dimensionnlly under irradiation. The U--3 wt,% Nb--0.5 wt.% Sn alloy, in the cast and gamma-quenched condition, was only moderately stable dimensionally. The U/sub 3/Si in the cast condition showed good dimensional stability but in the extruded condition developed moderate anisotropic growth. Clad Nb--0.5 wt.% Sn, UaSi (U--3.8 wt.% Si), and U--2 wt.% Zr (diffusion heat treated). The U--3 wt.% Nb alloy in the rolled and gamma- quenched condition was highly unstable dimensionally under irradiation. The U--3 wt.% Nb--0.5 wt.% Sn alloy, in the cast and gamma-quenched condition, was only moderately stable dimensionally. The U/sub 3/Si in the cast condition showed good dimensional stability but in the extruded condition developed moderate anisotropic growth. Clad rods of diffusion heat treated U--2 wt.% Zr alloy were generally highly stable. Only the U/sub 3/Si and U--2 wt.% Zr alloy specimens retained a significant degree of their preirradiation corrosion resistance. (auth