• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.847-858
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• 2013

Since 2001, a series of five irradiation test campaigns for atomized U-Mo dispersion fuel rods, KOMO-1, -2, -3, -4, and -5, has been conducted at HANARO (Korea) in order to develop high performance low enriched uranium dispersion fuel for research reactors. The KOMO irradiation tests provided valuable information on the irradiation behavior of U-Mo fuel that results from the distinct fuel design and irradiation conditions of the rod fuel for HANARO. Full size U-Mo dispersion fuel rods of 4-5 $g-U/cm^3$ were irradiated at a maximum linear power of approximately 105 kW/m up to 85% of the initial U-235 depletion burnup without breakaway swelling or fuel cladding failure. Electron probe microanalyses of the irradiated samples showed localized distribution of the silicon that was added in the matrix during fuel fabrication and confirmed its beneficial effect on interaction layer growth during irradiation. The modifications of U-Mo fuel particles by the addition of a ternary alloying element (Ti or Zr), additional protective coatings (silicide or nitride), and the use of larger fuel particles resulted in significantly reduced interaction layers between fuel particles and Al.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.178-188
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• 2017

To study the effects of zirconium (Zr) addition on the microstructure, hardness and the tensile properties of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) ferritic-martensitic steels, two kinds of 9Cr-ODS ferritic-martensitic steels with nominal compositions (wt.%) of $Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Y_2O_3$ and $Fe-9Cr-2W-0.3Zr-0.3Y_2O_3$ were fabricated by the mechanical alloying (MA) of premixed powders and then consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) techniques. The experimental results showed that the average grain size decreases with Zr addition. The trigonal ${\delta}$-phase $Y_4Zr_3O_{12}$ oxides and body-centered cubic $Y_2O_3$ oxides are formed in the 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel and 9Cr non-Zr ODS steel, respectively, and the average size of $Y_4Zr_3O_{12}$ particles is much smaller than that of $Y_2O_3$. The dispersion morphology of the oxide particles in 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel is significantly improved and the number density is $1.1{\times}10^{23}/m^3$ with Zr addition. The 9Cr-Zr-ODS steel shows much higher tensile ductility, ultimate tensile strength and Vickers hardness at the same time.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.311-314
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• 2005

We investigated the composition dependence of the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) behavior and the stability of the magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with TiAlOx barrier and the microstructural evolution of TiAl alloy films. The TMR ratio increased up to $49\%$ at $5.33\;at\%$ Ti. In addition, a significant tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) value of $20\%$ was maintained after annealing at $450^{\circ}C$, and the breakdown voltage ($V_B$) of and 1.35 V were obtained in the MTJ with $5.33\;at\%$ Ti-alloyed AlOx barrier. These results were closely related to the enhanced quality of the barrier material microstructure in the pre-oxidation state. Ti alloying enhanced the barrier/electrode interface uniformity and reduced microstructural defects. These structural improvements enhanced not only the TMR effect but also the thermal and electrical stability of the MTJs.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.130-135
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• 2016

To alloy high melting point elements such as boron, ruthenium, and iridium with copper, heat treatment was performed using metal oxides of $B_2O_3$, $RuO_2$, and $IrO_2$ at the temperature of $1200^{\circ}C$ in vacuum for 30 minutes. The microstructure analysis of the alloyed sample was confirmed using an optical microscope and FE-SEM. Hardness and trace element analyses were performed using Vickers hardness and WD-XRF, respectively. Diffusion profile analysis was performed using D-SIMS. From the microstructure analysis results, crystal grains were found to have formed with sizes of 2.97 mm. For the copper alloys formed using metal oxides of $B_2O_3$, $RuO_2$, and $IrO_2$ the sizes of the crystal grains were 1.24, 1.77, and 2.23 mm, respectively, while these sizes were smaller than pure copper. From the Vickers hardness results, the hardness of the Ir-copper alloy was found to have increased by a maximum of 2.2 times compared to pure copper. From the trace element analysis, the copper alloy was fabricated with the expected composition. From the diffusion profile analysis results, it can be seen that 0.059 wt%, 0.030 wt%, and 0.114 wt% of B, Ru, and Ir, respectively, were alloyed in the copper, and it led to change the hardness. Therefore, we verified that alloying of high melting point elements is possible at the low temperature of $1200^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.8 no.8
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• pp.672-677
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• 1998

The following work examines the growth rate and microstructure of the $AI_2O_3$-composite formation by melt oxdation of pentad AI-alloys. The I weight % of each metal elements Cu and Ni were added to AI-IMg-3Si-3Zn and AI-IMg- 3Si-5Zn alloys. The diffenent pentad AI-alloys were oxidized 20 hours long at 1373K and 1473K. The oxidation rates were determined by observing the weight gain. The macro- and microstructure of formed oxide layer were examined by optical microscopy. The AI-IMg-3Si-5Zn-lCu alloy revealed the best oxidation behavior, but formedoxide layer was inhomogeneous.The oxidation rate were accelerated, and the uniform growth of the oxide layer with fine microstructure were obtained by putting a thin layer of $SiO_2$ on the surface of the alloy.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.414-422
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• 2002

Three different multi-component white cast irons alloyed with Cr, V, Mo and W were prepared in order to study their as-cast and solidification structures. Three combinations of the alloying elements were selected so as to obtain the different types of carbides and matrix structures : 3%C-10%Cr-5%Mo-5%W(alloy No.1), 3%C-10%V-5% Mo-5%W(alloy No. 2) and 3%C-17%Cr-3% V(alloy No.3). The as-cast microstructures were investigated with optical and scanning electron microscopes. There existed two different types of carbides, $M_7C_3$ carbide with rod-like morphology and $M_6C$ carbide with fishbone-like one, and matrix in the alloy No. 1. The alloy No. 2 consisted of MC carbide with chunky and flaky type and needle-like $M_2C$ carbide, and matrix. The chunky type referred to primary MC carbide and the flaky one to eutectic MC carbide. The morphology of the alloy No. 3 represented a typical hypo-eutectic high chromium white cast iron composed of rod-like $M_7C_3$ carbide which is very sensitive to heat flow direction and matrix. To clarify the solidification sequence, each iron(50g) was remelted at 1723K in an alumina crucible using a silicon carbide resistance furnace under argon atmosphere. The molten iron was cooled at the rate of 10K/min and quenched into water at several temperatures during thermal analysis. The solidification structures of the specimen were found to consist of austenite dendrite(${\gamma}$), $ ({\gamma}+ M_7C_3)$ eutectic and $({\gamma}+ M_6C)$ eutectic in the alloy No. 1, proeutectic MC, austenite dendrite(${\gamma}$), (${\gamma}$+MC) eutectic and $({\gamma}+ M_2C)$ eutectic in the alloy No. 2, and proeutectic $M_7C_3$ and $ ({\gamma}+ M_7C_3)$ eutectic in the alloy No 3. respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2020

In this study, the effects of Co content on the microstructure and Charpy impact properties of Fe-Cr-W ferritic/martensitic oxide dispersion strengthened (F/M ODS) steels are investigated. F/M ODS steels with 0-5 wt% Co are fabricated by mechanical alloying, followed by hot isostatic pressing, hot-rolling, and normalizing/tempering heat treatment. All the steels commonly exhibit two-phase microstructures consisting of ferrite and tempered martensite. The volume fraction of ferrite increases with the increase in the Co content, since the Co element considerably lowers the hardenability of the F/M ODS steel. Despite the lowest volume fraction of tempered martensite, the F/M ODS steel with 5 wt% Co shows the highest micro-Vickers hardness, owing to the solid solution-hardening effect of the alloyed Co. The high hardness of the steel improves the resistance to fracture initiation, thereby resulting in the enhanced fracture initiation energy in a Charpy impact test at - 40℃. Furthermore, the addition of Co suppresses the formation of coarse oxide inclusions in the F/M ODS steel, while simultaneously providing a high resistance to fracture propagation. Owing to these combined effects of Co, the Charpy impact energy of the F/M ODS steel increases gradually with the increase in the Co content.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.122-128
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• 2000

Strip casting process is a new technology that makes a near net shape thin strip directly from molten metal. With this process, a large amount of energy and casting cost could be decreased from the abbreviation of reheating and/or hot rolling process. Ductile cast iron which has spheroidal graphite in the matrix is the most commercial and industrial material, because of its supreme strength, toughness, and wear resistance etc. But it cannot be produced to the thin strip owing to difficulty in rolling of ductile cast iron. In this study, ductile cast iron strips are produced by the twin roll strip caster, with different chemical compositions of C, Si, and Mn contents. And then heat-treated, microstructures and mechanical properties are examined. The microstructures of as-cast strip are that of white cast iron which consists of the mixture of cementite and pearlite, but the equiaxed crystal zone of the pearlite or segregation zone of cementite exists in the center region of the strip thickness, which cannot be observed in the rapidly solidified metallic mold cast specimens. This structure is supposed to be formed from the thermal distribution of strip and the rolling force. Comparing with the structures of each strips after heat treatment, increasing Si content makes smaller spheroidal graphite and more compact in the matrix, furthermore the less of Mn content makes the ferrite matrix be obtained clearer and easier. As a result of the tensile test of graphitization heat-treated strips, the yield strengths are about 250 MPa, the tensile strengths are about $430{\sim}500$ MPa, and the elongations are about $10{\sim}13%$. In the case of the strip which has the smaller and more compact spheroidal graphite in the ferrite matrix, the higher tensile strength and better drawability could be obtained.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.356-364
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• 1997

In order to study effects of Cu and Be on the microstructure and tensile properties of rapidly solidified Al-Mg alloys, Al-Mg-Cu-Be alloys have been rapidly solidified by inert gas atomization process. Microstructure of rapidly solidified Al-Mg-Cu-Be powders exhibited refinement and good dispersion of Be particles as increasing of solidification rate. Solidification rate of atomized powders was estimated to be about $5{\times}10^{3{\circ}}C/s$. Inert gas atomized Al-Mg-Cu-Be powders were hot-processed by vacuum hot pressing at $450^{\circ}C$ under 100 MPa and hot extruded with reduction ratio in area of 25: 1 at $450^{\circ}C$. The extruded Al-Mg-Cu-Be powders consisted of recrystallized fine Al grains and homogeneously dispersed fine Be particles, and exhibited improved tensile properties with increase in Cu content. $Al_2CuMg$ compounds precipitated in grain and grain boundaries of Al-Mg-Cu-Be alloys with aging heat treatment after solution treatment. Hardness and tensile properties were improved by increasing Cu content and Be addition. Compared with extruded Al-Mg-Cu powders, the extruded Al-Mg-Cu-Be powders exhibited finer recrystallized grains and improved tensile properties by dispersion hardening of Be and subgrain boundaries pinned by fine Be particles. After aging treatment, hardness and tensile properties were improved due to restricted precipitation by increasing of dislocation density around Be particles in matrix.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.32-32
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• 2015

Electrophoretic paint (E-paint) was investigated on four different magnesium substrates: as-extruded AZ61 (AZ61), heat-treated AZ61 (AZ61-H), as-extruded TZ61 (TZ61) and heat-treated TZ61 (TZ61-H), to elucidate the effect of heat treatment and alloying elements on the deposition and corrosion resistance of E-paint. It was found that, a rapid increase of voltage, indicating that the deposition of E-paint had started, was observed after an induction time of 0.39 min for AZ61-H, 0.43 min for AZ61, 0.51 min for TZ61-H and 0.58 min for TZ61. The amount of E-paint deposited on the four samples was approximately similar, but the electrical charge used for the deposition process on the heat-treated samples was smaller than that on the as-extruded samples. The current efficiencies of E-paint on AZ samples (AZ61 and AZ61-H) were higher than those of TZ samples (TZ61 and TZ61-H), and on the heat-treated samples were higher than on as-extruded samples. All E-paintings on the four magnesium substrates had an excellent adhesion without any paint detached by tape peel-test. However, many large blisters were formed on the surface of AZ samples, and none, or very small blisters were observed on TZ samples after immersion test in DI-water for 500 h at $40^{\circ}C$. Under salt spray test (SST) conditions, E-paint on AZ samples showed blistering adjacent to scribes, while blistering of E-paint occurred on intact areas of TZ samples. The E-paint on heat-treated samples showed much better corrosion resistance than that on as-extruded samples. The ranking of greater to lesser corrosion resistance of the E-paint on these four different magnesium substrates is indicated by the order: AZ61-H > AZ61 > TZ61-H > TZ61.