Phonon dynamics of UO$_{2}$ at high temperature

ORAL

Abstract

Inelastic neutron scattering and numerical simulations are being used to investigate the fundamental aspects of phonons and thermal transport in UO2 as part of a DOE-EFRC ``Center for Materials Science of Nuclear Fuel'' project. Understanding thermal transport associated with nuclear fuel environments requires a correct accounting for a wide range of phonon scattering processes, including anharmonic phonon-phonon, phonon-fission product, and phonon-defect cluster. Reactor and spallation neutron measurements of phonon dispersion, phonon linewidths and density of states in UO$_{2}$ at room and high temperature are in progress for direct comparison with atomic potential lattice-dynamics simulations of phonon dispersion, phonon group velocity, phonon linewidth, and phonon density of states. Direct comparisons between experimental measurements and numerical simulations in UO$_{2}$ as a function of temperature will be presented.

*Research supported as part of the Center for Materials Science of Nuclear Fuel, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science

Authors

  • Judy Pang

    • ORNL
    • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • A. Chernatynskiy

    • U. Florida
  • B.C. Larson

    • ORNL
  • S.R. Phillpot

    • University of Florida
    • U. Florida
  • W.J.L. Buyers

    • Can. Inst. for Adv. Res.