Phase-field simulation of void evolution in UO₂ under applied stress

Abstract

Owing to the migration and aggregation of point defects produced by cascade collision, a large number of cavities form easily during irradiation of the uranium dioxide (UO₂) that is an important nuclear fuel. In addition, cavities are also inevitably introduced into the ceramic fuel during sintering. Moreover, the creep strain and thermal strain, caused by the extreme environment of high temperature and strong irradiation, significantly increase the applied stress of nuclear fuel. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the microstructure evolution of the cavities in UO₂ fuel under applied stress. In this work, a phase-field model of void evolution in UO₂ under applied stress is established. Firstly, the elastic equilibrium equation is solved by the perturbation-iterative method, and the stress distribution around a single void under applied stress is calculated. The results show that the stress concentration is observed at the edge of the void, and the simulated stress distribution is consistent with the theoretically analytical results. Then, the evolution processes of a single void under different applied stresses are simulated by the phase-field model. The results show that the growth rate of void increases with the augment of applied stress. Finally, the effect of applied stress on grain growth and void evolution in polycrystalline are also studied. The results show that the applied stress will accelerate the void growth. With the increase of the applied stress, the effect of the applied stress on accelerating the void evolution increases.