Recovery and recrystallization of U3Si

The recovery and recrystallization temperatures of U3Si were determined for an alloy of uranium-3.98 wt% silicon containing 600 ppm carbon. Small specimens, deformed by compression, were isothermally and isochronally annealed at temperatures between 350 and 700oC and their recovery and recrystallization temperatures determined using hardness, grain size and X-ray measurements. For small amounts of strain and an annealing time of 6 hours both recovery and recrystallization begin at 400-450oC. Complete recrystallization is achieved at 650-700oC. The effect of small changes in silicon and carbon concentration were determined by examining two further alloys containing 3.27 wt% silicon and 600 ppm carbon, and 4.02 wt% silicon and 140 ppm carbon respectively. A small change in silicon concentration does not affect recovery and recrystallization but decreasing the carbon concentration from 600 to 140 ppm decreases the recovery and recrystallization temperatures. (author)