UD3 formation on uranium: evidence for grain boundary precipitation

• Published in: Philosophical magazine (Abingdon, England) Vol. 87; no. 2; pp. 177 - 187
• Main Authors: Scott, T. B., Allen, G. C., Findlay, I., Glascott, J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis Group 11-01-2007; Taylor and Francis; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Cold working, work hardening; annealing, quenching, tempering, recovery, and recrystallization; textures; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Defects and impurities in crystals; microstructure; Exact sciences and technology; Grain and twin boundaries; Materials science; Phase diagrams and microstructures developed by solidification and solid-solid phase transformations; Physics; Precipitation; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Grain boundaries; Annealing; Pressure effects; Oxide layer; Ions; Secondary ion mass spectrometry; Uranium hydrides; Etching; Grain boundary precipitation; Precipitates; Focused ion beam technology; Surface structure; Secondary ion mass spectra; Uranium; Phase boundaries; Deuterides; SIMS; Uranium Deuterides; Surface layers; Physical Sciences
• ISSN: 1478-6435; 1478-6443; 1478-6433
• DOI: 10.1080/14786430600919294

The formation of UD
3
on the surface of annealed uranium was induced at 320°C and 500 mbar pressure. The location of the deuteride (UD
3
) precipitates with respect to metal grain boundaries at the sample surface was studied by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and focused ion beam (FIB) methods. Ion etching was used to remove the passive oxide layer on the sample surface and reveal the underlying structure of the metal grains. There is strong evidence for the formation of UD
3
phases along the metal grain boundaries at the uranium surface.