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| Format: | Preprint |
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2026
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| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.23491 |
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| _version_ | 1866915958961995776 |
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| author | Katz, J. K. Rollett, A. Hemley, R. J. |
| author_facet | Katz, J. K. Rollett, A. Hemley, R. J. |
| contents | Metastable aluminum-alloyed $δ$-plutonium shrinks rapidly and pure $α$-plutonium swells rapidly at 4 K. At ambient temperature alloyed $δ$-plutonium swells about $10^{-3}$ as fast as it shrinks at 4 K, but its bulk density decreases more slowly than would be inferred from the increase in its lattice parameter determined by X-ray diffraction. These results might be explained as the result of ingrowth of the opposite phases, but they have not been found in X-ray diffraction. The cryogenic results may be explained by ingrowth of an amorphous phase with density intermediate between those of $α$ and $δ$. This phase, when formed from alloyed $δ$-plutonium, rapidly but not instantaneously anneals to $δ$-plutonium at temperatures $\gtrapprox 100\,$K; when formed from pure $α$-plutonium it anneals to $α$ at similar temperatures. The room temperature discrepancy between growth of lattice parameter and length of $δ$-plutonium is also explained by ingrowth of a denser amorphous phase that is continuously formed and annealed out. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_23491 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Amorphous High Density Plutonium Katz, J. K. Rollett, A. Hemley, R. J. Materials Science Metastable aluminum-alloyed $δ$-plutonium shrinks rapidly and pure $α$-plutonium swells rapidly at 4 K. At ambient temperature alloyed $δ$-plutonium swells about $10^{-3}$ as fast as it shrinks at 4 K, but its bulk density decreases more slowly than would be inferred from the increase in its lattice parameter determined by X-ray diffraction. These results might be explained as the result of ingrowth of the opposite phases, but they have not been found in X-ray diffraction. The cryogenic results may be explained by ingrowth of an amorphous phase with density intermediate between those of $α$ and $δ$. This phase, when formed from alloyed $δ$-plutonium, rapidly but not instantaneously anneals to $δ$-plutonium at temperatures $\gtrapprox 100\,$K; when formed from pure $α$-plutonium it anneals to $α$ at similar temperatures. The room temperature discrepancy between growth of lattice parameter and length of $δ$-plutonium is also explained by ingrowth of a denser amorphous phase that is continuously formed and annealed out. |
| title | Amorphous High Density Plutonium |
| topic | Materials Science |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.23491 |