FURI | Spring 2023

Effects of Aluminum Additions on the Plasticity and Fracture Behavior of Zirconium Silicide as a Surrogate for Advanced Nuclear Fuels

Uranium Silicide (U₃Si₂) offers several advantages over the typical nuclear fuel Uranium Oxide (UO₂), but it is too brittle to be used safely. In this study, the effects of dopants on the plasticity and fracture behavior of U₃Si₂ will be investigated through the surrogate Zr₃Si₂ based on the hypothesis that the addition of aluminum will lead to increased ductility. Each element will be added in the correct proportion to an arc melting furnace to create the desired alloys. Metallographic samples from these alloys will be analyzed using optical microscopy, electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, backscattered electron imaging, and Vickers hardness.