Atomistic Simulation of High-Density Uranium Fuels
Figure 6
(a) Experimental sample of the Al–5.2 wt% Si/U–7 wt% Mo interface showing the zone of depletion of Si precipitates near the interdiffusion layer [29]. (b) Simulations of the Al-5 wt% Si/U-7 wt% Mo interface at K showing the main experimental results, such as: (1) Si depletion in Al side, (2) the tendency to local ordering in the zone between Al and U-Mo, and (3) an unexpected interaction between Mo and Si which inhibits the Si diffusion to deeper layers in the U-Mo solid solution, improving the Si stopping power for Al diffusion. Al, Si, U, and Mo atoms are denoted with yellow, red, blue, and grey circles, respectively. The experimental result corresponds to a room temperature observation of a sample treated at 550°C for 2 hours [30].
