• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.7
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• pp.2475-2490
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• 2022

The Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) is a new concept of fuel, which can not only withstand the consequences of the accident for a longer time, but also maintain or improve the performance under operating conditions. ISAA is a self-developed severe accident analysis code, which uses modular structures to simulate the development processes of severe accidents in nuclear plants. The basic version of ISAA is developed based on UO₂-Zr fuel. To study the potential safety gain of ATF cladding, an improved version of ISAA, referred to as ISAA-ATF, is introduced to analyze the station blackout accident of PWR using ATF cladding. The results show that ATF cladding enable the core to maintain a longer time compared to zirconium alloy cladding, thereby enhancing the accident mitigation capability. Meanwhile, the generation of hydrogen is significantly reduced and delayed, which proves that ATF can improve the safety characteristics of the nuclear reactor.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.325-331
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• 2022

Beta-titanium alloys are used in many industries due to their increased elongation resulting from their BCC structure and low modulus of elasticity. However, there are many limitations to their use due to the high cost of beta-stabilizer elements. In this study, biocompatible Ti-Mo-Fe beta titanium alloys are designed by replacing costly beta-stabilizer elements (e.g., Nb, Zr, or Ta) with inexpensive Mo and Fe elements. Additionally, Ti-Mo-Fe alloys designed with different Fe contents are fabricated using powder metallurgy. Fe is a strong, biocompatible beta-stabilizer element and a low-cost alloying element. The mechanical properties of the Ti-Mo-Fe metastable beta titanium alloys are analyzed in relation to the microstructural changes. When the Fe content increases, the tensile strength and elongation decrease due to brittle fracture despite a decreasing pore fraction. It is confirmed that the hardness and tensile strength of Ti-5Mo-2Fe P/M improve to more than 360 Hv and 900 MPa, respectively.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.1975-1988
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• 2024

It is important to maintain cladding integrity in spent nuclear fuel management. This study proposes a numerical analysis method to evaluate the fracture resistance of irradiated zirconium alloy cladding under pinch load known to cause Mode-III failure. The mechanical behavior and fracture of the cladding under pinch loading can be evaluated by a Ring Compression Test (RCT). To simulate the fracture of hydride precipitates, zirconium matrix, and Zr/hydride interfaces under the stress field generated by RCT, a micro-structure crack propagation simulation method based on Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) has been proposed. Our RCT simulation model was constructed from microscopic images of irradiated cladding. In this study, we developed an automated process to generate a pixel-based finite element model by separating the hydride precipitates, zirconium matrix, and interfaces using an image segmentation method. The appropriate element size was selected to ensure the efficiency and accuracy of a crack propagation simulation. The load-displacement curves and strain energies from RCT were compared and analyzed with the simulation results of different element sizes. The finalized RCT simulation model can be used to establish the failure criterion of fuel rods under pinch loading. The advantages and limitations of the proposed method are fully discussed here.

• Clean Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.264-271
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• 2013

In this study, we optimized the removal condition of contaminants attached on the scrap surface to recycle the scrap generated from the Zr alloy tube manufacturing process back to the nuclear grade. The main contaminant is remnant of watersoluble cooling lubricant that is used in the pilgering manufacture during the tube production, and it is assumed to be compressed and carbonized on the surface of tube. Zirlo alloy tube of ${\phi}9.50mm$, which has high occurrence frequency of scrap, was selected as the object to be cleaned, and cleaning abilities of reagents were evaluated by measuring the characteristics of contaminants remained and by analyzing the surface of the tube after cleaning process. For evaluation of each cleaning agent, we selected two types of sodium hydroxide series and three types of potassium hydroxide series. Furthermore, to confirm dependence on tempe-rature and ultrasonic intensities, cleaning at the room temperature, $40^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$ was conducted, and results showed that higher the cleaning temperature and higher the ultrasonic intensity, better the cleaning effect. As a result of the bare-eye inspection, while the use of sodium hydroxide provided satisfactory condition on the tube surface, the use of potassium hydroxide series provided satisfactory condition on the tube surface only when the ultrasonic intensity was over 120 W. In the cleaning effect analysis using the gravimetric method, cleaning efficiency of sodium hydroxide series was as high as 97.6% ($60^{\circ}C$, 120 W), but since the tube surface condition was poor after the use of potassium hydroxide, the gravimetric method was not appropriate. In the analytical result of surface contaminants on the tube surface, C, O, Ca, and Zr were detected, and mainly C and O dominated the proportion of contaminants. It was also found that the degree of cleaning on the tube affected the componential ratio of C and O; if the degree of cleaning is high, or if cleaning is well-conducted, the proportion of C is decreased, and the proportion of O is increased. Based on these results, optimal cleaning for application in the industry can be expected by categorizing cleaning process into three steps of Alkali cleaning, Rinsing, and Drying and by adjusting cleaning parameters in each step.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.603-608
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• 2010

A study has been conducted experimentally to investigate behavior of ignition and flame spread over metal dust deposits with particle size using by a developed apparatus and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA). Zr, Ta and Mg-Al(90:10 wt%) alloy metal powders including Mg and Ti with different particle size were used. Also we used PMMA(Polymethylmethacrylate) powder to compare the combustion properties to those of metal powders. When dust layers were more than 5 mm in thickness, the dependency of deposit depth on flame spread rate over dust layer was not shown. With decreasing mean particle diameter, flame spread rate over Ti dust layer decreased, while the spread rate over Mg dust layer increased. For mean diameter of $51{\mu}m$, fire spread rate over pure Mg dust layer decreased to about 50 percent in Mg-Al(90:10 wt%) dust layer. The oxide thickness of metal dust used in this study tended to be inversely proportional with the spread rate, and it was quite small for influence with particle size. From the results of TGA for Ti and Mg, weight increasing curves(550 for Mg, 578 for Ta) were observed in the oxidation process, and they seems to be caused by ignition of upper dust layer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2016.11a
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• pp.197-197
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• 2016

Commercially pure titanium (CP Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V alloys have been widely used for biomedical applications. However, the use of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in biomaterial is then a subject of controversy because aluminum ions and vanadium oxide have potential detrimental influence on the human body due to vanadium and aluminum. Hence, recent works showed that the synthesis of new Ti-based alloys for implant application involves more biocompatible metallic alloying element, such as, Nb, Hf, Zr and Mo. In particular, Nb and Hf are one of the most effective Ti ${\beta}-stabilizer$ and reducing the elastic modulus. Plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) is known as excellent method in the biocompatibility of biomaterial due to quickly coating time and controlled coating condition. The anodized oxide layer and diameter modulation of Ti alloys can be obtained function of improvement of cell adhesion. Manganese(Mn) plays very important roles in essential for normal growth and metabolism of skeletal tissue in vertebrates and can be detected as minor constituents in teeth and bone. Radio frequency(RF) magnetron sputtering in the various PVD methods has high deposition rates, high-purity films, extremely high adhesion of films, and excellent uniform layers for depositing a wide range of materials, including metals, alloys and ceramics like a hydroxyapatite. The aim of this study is to research the Mn coatings on the micro-pore formed Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys by RF-magnetron sputtering for dental applications. Ti-29Nb-xHf (x= 0, 3, 7 and 15wt%, mass fraction) alloys were prepared Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys of containing Hf up from 0 wt% to 15 wt% were melted by using a vacuum furnace. Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys were homogenized for 2 hr at $1050^{\circ}C$. Each alloy was anodized in solution containing typically 0.15 M calcium acetate monohydrate + 0.02 M calcium glycerophosphate at room temperature. A direct current power source was used for the process of anodization. Anodized alloys was prepared using 270V~300V anodization voltage at room. Mn coatings was produced by RF-magnetron sputtering system. RF power of 100W was applied to the target for 1h at room temperature. The microstructure, phase and composition of Mn coated oxide surface of Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys were examined by FE-SEM, EDS, and XRD.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.218-223
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• 1997

At the aim of finding a Fehased amorphous alloy with a wide supercooled liquid region (${\Delta}T_{x}=T_{x}-T_{g}$) before crystallization, the changes in glass transition temperatudfI$T_{g}$ and crystallization temperature ($T_{x}$) by the dissolution of additional M elements were examined for the $Fe_{80}P_{10}C_{6}B_{4}$(x~6at%. M= transition metals) amorphous alloys. The ${\Delta}T_{x}$ value is 27K for the Fe,,,P,,,C,,R, alloy and increases to 40K for the addition of M=4at%Hf, 4at%Ta or 4at%Mo. The increase in ${\Delta}T_{x}$ is due to the increase of $T_{x}$ exceeding the degree in the increase in $T_{g}$. The $T_{g}$ and $T_{x}$ increase with decreasing electron concentration (e/a) from about 7 38 to 7.05. The decrease of e/a also implies the increase in the attractive bonding state between the M elements and other constitutent elements. It is therefore said that $T_{g}$ and $T_{x}$ increase kith increasing attractive bonding force.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.342-345
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• 2015

The n -type Hf_0.25Zr_0.25Ti_0.5NiSn_0.998Sb_0.002 Half-Heusler (HH) alloy composition was prepared by using the induction melting method in addition to the mechanical grinding, annealing, and spark plasma sintering processes. Analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicated the formation of a pure phase HH structured compound. The electrical and thermal properties at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 718 K were investigated. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing temperatures and demonstrated nondegenerate semiconducting behavior, and a large reduction in the thermal conductivity to the value of 2.5 W/mK at room temperature was observed. With the power factor and thermal conductivity, the dimensionless figure of merit was increased with temperature and measured at 0.94 at 718 K for the compound synthesized by the induction melting process.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.381-393
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• 2002

Recent developments in nanocrystalline and nanocomposite rare earth-transition metal magnets are reviewed and emphasis is placed on research work at IFW Dresden. Principal synthesis methods include high energy ball milling, melt spinning, mold casting and hydrogen assisted methods such as reactive milling and hydrogenation-disproportionation-desorption-recombination. These techniques are applied to NdFeB-, PrFeB- and SmCo-type systems with the aim to produce high remanence magnets with high coercivity. Concepts of maximizing the energy density in nanostructured magnets by either inducing a texture via anisotropic HDDR or hot deformation or enhancing the remanence via magnetic exchange coupling are evaluated. With respect to high temperature applications melt spun $Sm(Co_{0.74}Fe_{0.1}Cu_{0.12}Zr_{0.04})_{7.5}$ ribbons were prepared, which showed coercivities of up to 0.53 T at 50$0^{\circ}C$. Partially amorphous $Nd_{60}Fe_xCo_{30-x}Al_{10}(0{\leq}x{\leq}30)$ alloys were prepared by copper mold casting. The effect of transition metal content on the glass-forming ability and the magnetic properties was investigated. The $Nd_{60}Co_{30}Al_{10}$ alloy exhibits an amorphous structure shown by the corresponding diffraction pattern. A small substitution of Co by 2.5 at.% Fe results In the formation of Fe-rich crystallites embedded in the Nd-rich amorphous matrix. The Fe-rich crystallites show hard magnetic behaviour at room temperature with a coercivity value of about 0.4 T, relatively low saturation magnetization and a Curie temperature of 500 K.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2017.05a
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• pp.152-152
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• 2017

Titanium and its alloys have been widely used for biomedical applications. However, the use of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in biomaterial is then a subject of controversy because aluminum ions and vanadium oxide have potential detrimental influence on the human body due to vanadium and aluminum. Hence, recent works showed that the synthesis of new Ti-based alloys for implant application involves more biocompatible metallic alloying element,such as, Nb, Hf, Zr and Mo. In particular, Nb and Hf are one of the most effective Ti ${\beta}$-stabilizer and reducing the elastic modulus. Plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) is known as excellent method in the biocompatibility of biomaterial due to quickly coating time and controlled coating condition. The anodized oxide layer and diameter modulation of Ti alloys can be obtained function of improvement of cell adhesion. Silicon (Si) and magnesium (Mg) has a beneficial effect on bone. Si in particular has been found to be essential for normal bone and cartilage growth and development. In vitro studies have shown that Mg plays very important roles in essential for normal growth and metabolism of skeletal tissue in vertebrates and can be detected as minor constituents in teeth and bone. Therefore, in this study, Si and Mg coatings on the hydroxyapatite film formed Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys by plasma electrolyte oxidation has been investigated using several experimental techniques. Ti-29Nb-xHf (x= 0, 3, 7 and 15wt%, mass fraction) alloys were prepared Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys of containing Hf up from 0 wt% to 15 wt% were melted by using a vacuum furnace. Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys were homogenized for 2 hr at $1050^{\circ}C$. The electrolyte was Si and Mg ions containing calcium acetate monohydrate + calcium glycerophosphate at room temperature. The microstructure, phase and composition of Si and Mg coated oxide surface of Ti-29Nb-xHf alloys were examined by FE-SEM, EDS, and XRD.