合金元素对α-U弹性常数和各向异性影响的第一原理研究

First-principles Study on Influence of Alloy Element on Elastic Constant and Anisotropy of α-Uranium

  • 摘要: 金属铀燃料的加工性能和其服役性能与其弹性常数和各向异性有强烈的依赖关系,为探究合金化对α-U服役性能的影响,本文采用第一原理方法系统研究了过渡金属(Ti、Zr、Nb和Mo)及典型镧/锕系元素(Ce、Nd、Pu和Am)对α-U弹性常数与各向异性的影响。对纯α-U及其合金体系施加不同的应变可获得其弹性矩阵,通过Voigt-Reuss-Hill模型获得杨氏模量、体积模量和剪切模量。结合三维空间取向依赖的模量分布,分析(100)、(010)、(001)晶面上杨氏模量与剪切模量的变化规律,并利用通用各向异性指数(AU)和基于三维分布的归一化标准差方法定量评估各向异性程度,辅以电子态密度(DOS)揭示其电子起源。计算结果表明:过渡元素掺杂普遍降低α-U的弹性常数,进而导致体积模量、剪切模量与杨氏模量下降,对于镧/锕系元素,除Am显著降低体积模量、剪切模量与杨氏模量,其他元素对上述3种模量影响较小。α-U因(010)褶皱原子面呈现强各向异性,多数掺杂元素难以削弱该特性,Nb会降低各向异性,Zr和Am则明显增强其各向异性;过渡元素显著降低其模型,与其费米能级附近5f-6d杂化及“赝能隙”结构的扰动密切相关,Am元素虽不能显著影响其赝能隙,但其通过增强f-d杂化降低原子间键合强度,降低体系模量。随合金浓度增加,杨氏模量和剪切模量整体下降,体积模量在12.5%浓度时出现局部升高。本文研究的合金元素对U弹性常数和各向异性的影响可为后续一体化快堆燃料的研发和性能预测提供基本的力学参数。

     

    Abstract: Uranium-based metallic fuels show great potential for advanced fast reactors due to high thermal conductivity and energy density. However, α-U suffers from poor structural stability and strong elastic anisotropy at low-temperature, which severely affect its processability and irradiation performance (for instance irradiation swelling and growth). Alloying with transition metals (Ti, Zr, Nb, and Mo) is a common strategy to increase its melting point and optimize its properties. On the other hand, lanthanide and actinide products (Ce, Nd, Pu, and Am) can be introduced under service conditions. These alloy elements can affect fuel processing properties and in-pile irradiation behavior, such as irradiation growth and swelling, and this is strongly correlated with the elastic constants and anisotropy of α-U. Therefore, the effects of alloy elements on the elastic constants and anisotropy of α-U were investigated to provide fundamental mechanical parameters for integrated fast reactor fuel design. The first-principles thinking calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) with the GGA-PBE functional were performed using the VASP code. Orthorhombic α-U supercells (1×1×1, 2×1×1, 2×2×2) were built to model the different doping concentrations, including 25%, 12.5%, and 3.125%. The elastic matrices were obtained via energy-strain relationships, and bulk, shear and Young’s moduli were derived using the Voigt-Reuss-Hill model. The universal anisotropy index (AU) and normalized standard deviation method were used to quantitatively evaluate the anisotropy, and the electronic origins of the mechanical properties could be obtained by density of states (DOS) analyses. The calculated results show that transition metal generally reduces the elastic constants and moduli of α-U, and only Am significantly lowers the moduli while Ce, Nd and Pu have minor effects for lanthanide/actinide elements. The strong anisotropy of α-U originates from the puckered (010) planes, and most dopants cannot significantly mitigate this feature, for instance, Nb reduces anisotropy, whereas Zr and Am notably enhance it. DOS analyses indicate transition metals disrupt Fermi-level 5f-6d hybridization and the pseudo-gap, weakening bonding and reducing moduli. Am strengthens f-d hybridization without destroying the pseudo-gap, also lowering moduli. With increasing doping concentration, Young’s and shear moduli decrease overall, while bulk modulus rises locally at 12.5% for Nd, Zr, Mo and Am. This may be due to the local atom arrangement environment. This work clarifies alloying effects on α-U’s elasticity and anisotropy at the electronic level. It confirms Nb as an effective additive to reduce anisotropy, while Zr and Am exacerbate it. The findings offer reliable mechanical data for advanced metallic fuel development and guide performance optimization of α-U-based alloys.

     

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