Reversible expansion of gallium-stabilized δ-plutonium
Abstract
It is shown that the transient expansion of plutonium-gallium alloys observed both in the lattice parameter as well as in the dimension of a sample held at ambient temperature can be explained by assuming incipient precipitation of Pu 3Ga. However, this ordered ζ'-phase is also subject to radiation-induced disordering. As a result, the gallium-stabilized δ-phase, being metastable at ambient temperature, is driven towards thermodynamic equilibrium by radiation-enhanced diffusion of gallium and at the same time reverted back to its metastable state by radiation-induced disordering. A steady state is reached in which only a modest fraction of the gallium present is arranged in ordered ζ'-phase regions.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Nuclear Materials
- Pub Date:
- December 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2006.08.020
- Bibcode:
- 2006JNuM..359..185W
- Keywords:
-
- 61.80.Az;
- 61.82.Bg;
- 81.30.Bx;
- 82.60.Lf;
- 89.20.Dd;
- Theory and models of radiation effects;
- Metals and alloys;
- Phase diagrams of metals and alloys;
- Thermodynamics of solutions;
- Military technology and weapons systems;
- arms control