Technical Papers and Notes - Institute of Metals Division - The Constitution of Delta-Phase Alloys of the System Uranium-Molybdenum-Titanium

AN investigation of the phase relationships between the 6 phases of the uranium-molybdenum and uranium-titanium systems was conducted by studying alloys ranging in composition from uranium-31.5 at. pct Mo to uranium-34 at. pct Ti. A ternary cut showing these phase relationships is presented upon the basis of thermal-analysis data obtained and upon the basis of metallographic and X-ray examination of heat-treated and quenched specimens. Isothermal ternary sections, inferred from phase relationships determined between the two 6 phases, are presented for the uranium-molybdenum-titanium system. In the compositional range investigated, a y-ura-nium solid solution exists at elevated temperatures. At about 900°C the 6-U2Ti phase, with limited molybdenum solubility, forms. Epsilon, a molybdenum-titanium-rich solid solution appears at the same temperature and appears in all phase regions that exist below this temperature except in the terminal 6-phase regions. The y phase is stable to approximately 660°C in titanium-rich alloys; the y and 6-U,Ti phases decompose at this temperature to a uranium in a peritectoid reaction. The y phase in molybdenum-rich alloys of the ternary cut studied decomposes in an apparent eutectoid reaction, at about 593°C, to the 6-uranium-molyb-denum and a-uranium phases. The e phase while present, presumably plays a negligible role in these reactions. Titanium was found to markedly decrease the stability of retained y in these alloys. Age-hardening characteristics developed in titanium-contain ing uranium-molybdenum alloys quenched from 900°C and aged at 500°C are ascribed to decomposition of Y to the a and E phases. INTRODUCTION Alloys of uranium with molybdenum, titanium, and zirconium, respectively, are of great interest because of their potential use as reactor fuels. As a result, this interest extends to the constitution of these alloys, particularly in view of their uniqueness of constitution. In these systems, alone, among known uranium-alloy systems, an intermediate phase forms by direct decomposition of the high-temperature y-uranium phase. As a prelude to possible future alloy development, an investigation has been undertaken of the phase relationships that occur between the intermediate phases of these systems. These phase relationships have already been reported for the intermediate 6 phases of the uranium-zirconium and uranium-titanium systems.' The results of an investigation of the phase relationships between the 6 phases of the uranium-molybdenum and uranium-titanium systems are reported here. The phase relationships that occur in the binary systems pertinent to this investigation are shown in Fig. 1. Phase nomenclature appearing throughout this report is as shown in these diagrams; the crystal structure of the phase is given in Table I. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Alloys were cast and fabricated to flat plate. Specimens were heat treated and examined metal-