Fabrication and Characterization of Fully Ceramic Microencapsulated Fuels

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2012 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2012.03.049· OSTI ID:1039618

Terrani, Kurt A ^[1]; Kiggans, Jim ^[1]; Katoh, Yutai ^[1]; Shimoda, Kazuya ^[2]; Montgomery, Fred C ^[1]; Armstrong, Beth L ^[1]; Parish, Chad M ^[1]; Hinoki, Tatsuya ^[2]; Hunn, John D ^[1]; Snead, Lance Lewis ^[1]

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1. ORNL
2. Kyoto University, Japan

The current generation of fully ceramic microencapsulated fuels, consisting of Tristructural Isotropic fuel particles embedded in a silicon carbide matrix, is fabricated by hot pressing. Matrix powder feedstock is comprised of alumina - yttria additives thoroughly mixed with silicon carbide nanopowder using polyethyleneimine as a dispersing agent. Fuel compacts are fabricated by hot pressing the powder - fuel particle mixture at a temperature of 1800-1900 C using compaction pressures of 10-20 MPa. Detailed microstructural characterization of the final fuel compacts shows that oxide additives are limited in extent and are distributed uniformly at silicon carbide grain boundaries, at triple joints between silicon carbide grains, and at the fuel particle-matrix interface.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). High Temperature Materials Lab. (HTML); Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Shared Research Equipment Collaborative Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)
• DOE Contract Number: DE-AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1039618
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 426, Issue 1-3; ISSN 0022-3115
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
ADDITIVES
CERAMICS
FABRICATION
FUEL PARTICLES
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
HOT PRESSING
MIXTURES
OXIDES
SILICON CARBIDES