Thermal conductivity degradation due to radiation-induced amorphization in U3Si2: A pilot study

In this study, we investigate the thermal conductivity of U3Si2 amorphized by ion irradiation using 84 MeV 136Xe ions at 190 °C. The suspended-bridge method was utilized to measure the thermal conductivity, allowing for a detailed analysis of the specimen while minimizing interference from other crystalline phases. Our results indicate that the thermal conductivity of amorphous U3Si2 is significantly lower than that of unirradiated crystalline U3Si2. These findings are consistent with recent studies on in-pile-irradiated U3Si2 samples that consider the effects of U3Si2 amorphization, fission gas bubbles, and other impurities.