A new technique for the strengthening of aluminum tungsten inert gas weld metals: using carbon nanotube/aluminum composite as a filler metal

The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) on the mechanical properties of aluminum multipass weld metal prepared by the tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process was investigated. High energy ball milling was used to disperse MWCNT in the aluminum powder. Carbon nanotube/aluminum composite filler metal was fabricated for the first time by hot extrusion of ball-milled powders. After welding, the tensile strength, microhardness and MWCNT distribution in the weld metal were investigated. The test results showed that the tensile strength and microhardness of weld metal was greatly increased when using the filler metal containing 1.5 wt.% MWCNT. Therefore, according to the results presented in this paper, it can be concluded that the filler metal containing MWCNT can serve as a super filler metal to improve the mechanical properties of TIG welds of Al and its alloys.

Effect of Alpha Radiolysis on UO2Dissolution under Reducing Conditions

Effects of water radiolysis on the dissolution rate of UO2were studied by irradiating UO2colloids with an alpha particle beam of a cyclotron. The solution was kept under reducing conditions by applying a current of -10 or -50 nA and an ultrahigh purity argon bubbling. The solution pH was fixed at 6 during experiment. The particle flux was 1.1×1011α.cm−2.s−1entering in solution with an energy of 5 – 6 MeV. Despite initial reducing conditions water radiolysis increased the dissolution rate of uranium dioxide due to reaction with oxidizing radiolytic species such as H2O2, O2, OH•, HO2•, ClO3−. The monitoring of the redox potential showed that the solutions became rapidly oxidizing. The dissolution rate values were between 0.01 and 26 mg·m−2·d−1depending on the ratio of the irradiated UO2mass to the solution volume. This dependency is caused by hydrogen peroxide consumption at the UO2surface. The rate of hydrogen peroxide consumption by reaction with colloids corresponds to an equivalent rate of UO2oxidation/dissolution between 2 and 60 mg.m−2.d−1indicating that only a small fraction of produced H2O2is consumed by the dissolution reaction.

Effect of alpha radiolysis on doped UO2 dissolution under reducing conditions

The aim of the present work is to quantify the influence of alpha radioactivity of 225Ac doped UO2 on the dissolution rate under reducing conditions at pH 6. The doped or undoped material was prepared by precipitation and the size of particles was about 3 nm. The total alpha activity of the doped material was about 2000 MBq g-1 UO2, about 4 times higher than that of 15 years old spent fuel. The solution was kept under reducing conditions during the experiment by permanent electrochemical reduction under inert atmosphere. The results showed that the dissolution rate of doped material was a function of alpha activity and thus a function of the dose.

Speciation of technetium(IV) chloride under gamma irradiation

Speciation of Tc in aqueous solution is a complex phenomenon because several parameters intervene simultaneously. We show under gamma radiations, it is completely modified. At pH 8.5 TcO2is oxidized to Tc(VII) with a yield of 1.38×10−7mol J−1. At pH 1.5, it was demonstrated that Tc is present as hydroxylated species TcnOy(4n-2y)+(L. Vichot, M. Fattahi, M. Musikas: Radiochim. Acta 91, 263 (2003)). Its oxidation leads also to Tc(VII) with an experimental yield of 1.45×10−7mol J−1. In more acidic solutions, results are consistent with hydrolysis and oxidation of Tc(IV) to Tc(V). As for colloidal solutions of Tc(IV) or TcO2, they give Tc(VII) whereas solutions of TcCl62-at pH 0.5 and 1.5 do not lead directly to Tc(VII). Reduced states of Tc are very sensitive to radiation. Hydrolysis as well as polymerisation of Tc are accelerated. Furthermore the radiolytic processes are pH dependent.

Electrochemical aspects of radiolytically enhanced UO2dissolution

Experiments were performed, irradiating UO2colloids of 3 nm diameter by a 5 MeV alpha beam of a cyclotron. Both the dissolution rate of these colloids and the production rate of hydrogen peroxide have been measured. The experimentally measured corrosion rate of these colloids is very similar to the corrosion rates measured for bulk UO2samples, indicating on the one hand that similar reaction mechanism prevail and on the other hand that the UO2colloids are well representative for bulk UO2. The results were compared with two current models for radiolytical dissolution of spent fuel. Additionally a new coupling between water radiolysis reactions and spent fuel dissolution has been established. The coupling is not anymore based on rate constants for direct reaction of oxidants with UO2, but on the electrochemical coupling of anodic dissolution reactions with cathodic reduction of molecular and radical radiolysis products. The model not only describes well the experimental data, it also allows to predict both the establishment of corrosion potentials and of fractional reaction orders with respect to oxidant concentrations. Model results can also be compared with experimental data (corrosion potential ...) using UO2as an electrode.

Aqueous solution of UCl6(2-) in O2 saturated acidic medium: an efficient system to scavenge all primary radicals in spurs produced by irradiation

Absorbance measurements find the yield of the oxidation of U(IV) to be (8.75 +/- 0.05) x 10(-7) mol J(-1) in the (60)Co gamma radiolysis of aqueous solutions containing 4.4 x 10(-3) mol L(-1) U(IV) in the presence of O(2) saturated 2 mol L(-1) Cl(-) at pH = 0. This high value of oxidation yield suggests that all primary radicals formed by water decomposition are scavenged in these solutions. Simulations using a nonhomogeneous stochastic kinetic track model agree with the experimental results and are used to explain the mechanism for scavenging radicals and oxidation of U(IV).

Expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase during embryonic development of the rat optic vesicle

The expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase during the development of rat optic vesicle from embryonic day E14 to E18 was analyzed by histochemical procedures. The samples were frozen and cut on a cryostat and then studied by using the light microscope. Expression of nNOS was first seen on E14 in cells of Cajal-Retzius located in the marginal zone of optic vesicle. NADPH-d persisted in this layer throughout the embryonic period and began to decrease on E20. At E16, the optic vesicle has four NADPH-d positive layers. At E18, NADPH-d reactivity observed at low magnification showed five clearly defined layers. In the late stages, the most notable feature was a decrease in histochemical reaction of the marginal zone and at these stages, the layer IV showed less staining than the rest of the cortical plate. The observations suggest that nitric oxide is synthesized during embryonic life processes and this is related to maturational processes.

Microbial reduction of 99Tc in organic matter-rich soils

For safety assessment purposes, it is necessary to study the mobility of long-lived radionuclides in the geosphere and the biosphere. Within this framework, we studied the behaviour of (99)Tc in biologically active organic matter-rich soils. To simulate the redox conditions in soils, we stimulated the growth of aerobic and facultative denitrifying and anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). In the presence of either a pure culture of denitrifiers (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) or a consortium of soil denitrifiers, the solubility of TcO(4)(-) was not affected. The nonsorption of TcO(4)(-) onto bacteria was confirmed in biosorption experiments with washed cells of P. aeruginosa regardless of the pH. At the end of denitrification with indigenous denitrifiers in soil/water batch experiments, the redox potential (E(H)) dropped and this was accompanied by an increase of Fe concentration in solution as a result of reduction of less soluble Fe(III) to Fe(II) from the soil particles. It is suggested that this is due to the growth of a consortium of anaerobic bacteria (e.g., Fe-reducing bacteria). The drop in E(H) was accompanied by a strong decrease in Tc concentration as a result of Tc(VII) reduction to Tc(IV). Thermodynamic calculations suggested the precipitation of TcO(2). The stimulation of the growth of indigenous sulphate-reducing bacteria in soil/water systems led to even lower E(H) with final Tc concentration of 10(-8) M. Experiments with glass columns filled with soil reproduced the results obtained with batch cultures. Sequential chemical extraction of precipitated Tc in soils showed that this radionuclide is strongly immobilised within soil particles under anaerobic conditions. More than 90% of Tc is released together with organic matter (60-66%) and Fe-oxyhydroxides (23-31%). The present work shows that ubiquitous indigenous anaerobic bacteria in soils play a major role in Tc immobilisation. In addition, organic matter plays a key role in the stability of the reduced Tc.

Histochemical assessment of nitric oxide synthase activity in aortic endothelial cells of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation of blood vessels is a common feature in diabetes, but the exact underlying mechanisms have not yet been clarified. In present study, endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation of aortic rings were evaluated in vitro in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic and age-matched control rats. Moreover, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity of aortic endothelial cells was assessed in both diabetic and healthy rats using histochemical staining for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity. The results showed a significant decrease of endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to acetylcholine (ACh) in diabetic rings, compared with controls, that was accompanied by a remarkable attenuation of NOS activity in diabetic sections of rat aorta stained for NADPH-diaphorase. Furthermore, a membrane disruption of some endothelial cells was also observed in all diabetic sections. It can be concluded that a decrease in NOS activity together with a disruption of endothelial cell membrane play a major role in endothelial dysfunction observed in diabetes.

Gamma radiation effects on potassium pertechnetate in carbonate media

Gamma radiation effects on the stability of the oxidation state of radioelements and diffusion within the framework of nuclear waste repositories are often neglected, although it may influence physicochemical processes and thus transfer to biosphere and geosphere. This knowledge is essential to model transport phenomena. This study reports on effects of gamma irradiation on technetium in carbonate media, which is representative of natural systems. Depending on media compositions, the gamma irradiation on pertechnetate leads to formation of Tc(IV) only in the absence of carbonate. CO3*- radicals are able to re-oxidise technetium intermediate oxidation states to the +7 state.