Dataset Information

Point Defects Stability, Hydrogen Diffusion, Electronic Structure, and Mechanical Properties of Defected Equiatomic γ(U,Zr) from First-Principles.

ABSTRACT: At present, many experimental fast reactors have adopted alloy nuclear fuels, for example, U-Zr alloy fuels. During the neutron irradiation process, vacancies and hydrogen (H) impurity atoms can both exist in U-Zr alloy fuels. Here, first-principles density functional theory (DFT) is employed to study the behaviors of vacancies and H atoms in disordered-γ(U,Zr) as well as their impacts on the electronic structure and mechanical properties. The formation energy of vacancies and hydrogen solution energy are calculated. The effect of vacancies on the migration barrier of hydrogen atoms is revealed. The effect of vacancies and hydrogen atom on densities of states and elastic constants are also presented. The results illustrate that U vacancy is easier to be formed than Zr vacancy. The H interstitial prefers the tetrahedral site. Besides, U vacancy shows H-trap ability and can raise the H migration barrier. Almost all the defects lead to decreases in electrical conductivity and bulk modulus. It is also found that the main effect of defects is on the U-5f orbitals. This work provides a theoretical understanding of the effect of defects on the electronic and mechanical properties of U-Zr alloys, which is an essential step toward tailoring their performance.

SUBMITTER: Huang S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9656540 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Point Defects Stability, Hydrogen Diffusion, Electronic Structure, and Mechanical Properties of Defected Equiatomic γ(U,Zr) from First-Principles.

Huang Shasha S Ma Jiang-Jiang JJ Lai Kan K Zhang Cheng-Bin CB Yin Wen W Qiu Ruizhi R Zhang Ping P Wang Bao-Tian BT

Materials (Basel, Switzerland) 20221024 21

At present, many experimental fast reactors have adopted alloy nuclear fuels, for example, U-Zr alloy fuels. During the neutron irradiation process, vacancies and hydrogen (H) impurity atoms can both exist in U-Zr alloy fuels. Here, first-principles density functional theory (DFT) is employed to study the behaviors of vacancies and H atoms in disordered-γ(U,Zr) as well as their impacts on the electronic structure and mechanical properties. The formation energy of vacancies and hydrogen solution ...[more]

PMID: 36363044

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Project description:In this paper, first principles method was adopted to investigate the point defects, Vanadium-related defects and defect combinations (vacancy (V), substitutional (S) and/or interstitial (I)) in molybdenum β-Mo2C and explore the use of first principles calculation data in analysing the link between different carbides and the effects of doping elements. Supercell models with different defect types were established and optimized, and the formation energy data of defects was developed. The structure evolution during the optimization process is analysed in detail to establish the main characteristics of changes and the relevant electronic properties. The data for different types of intrinsic defects and combined defects complexes was developed and key results is analysed. The results show that carbon vacancy (VC) is stable but does not inevitably exist in pure β-Mo2C. Interstitial site II is a very unstable position for any type of atoms (Mo, V and C), and analysis of the structure evolution shows that the atom always moves to the interface area near the interstitial site I between two layers. In particular, a C atom can expand the lattice structure when it exists between the layer interfaces. One type of the defects studied, the substitution of Mo with V (designated as 'SV-Mo'), is the most stable defect among all single point defects. The data for defect complexes shows that the combination of multiple SV-Mo defects in the super cell being more stable than the combination of other defects (e.g., 'VMo+IC', 'SV-Mo+VC'). The data with increasing SV-Mo in (Mo, V)2C system is developed, and typical data (e.g., formation energy) for Mo-rich carbides and V carbides are correlated and the potential of the data in analysing transition of different carbides is highlighted. The relevance of using first principles calculation data in the studying of V-doping and the complex carbides (V- and Mo-rich carbides) evolution in different materials systems and future focus of continuous work is also discussed.

Dataset Information

Point Defects Stability, Hydrogen Diffusion, Electronic Structure, and Mechanical Properties of Defected Equiatomic γ(U,Zr) from First-Principles.

Publications

Point Defects Stability, Hydrogen Diffusion, Electronic Structure, and Mechanical Properties of Defected Equiatomic γ(U,Zr) from First-Principles.

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