Zone sintering of ceramic fuels

Patent · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:869350

Matthews, R Bruce ^[1]; Chidester, Kenneth M ^[2]; Moore, H Gene ^[2]

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1. Falls Church, VA
2. Los Alamos, NM

Cold pressed UC.sub.2 fuel compacts are sintered at temperatures greater than about 1850.degree. C. while in contact with a sintering facilitator material, e.g., tantalum, niobium, tungsten or a metal carbide such as uranium carbide, thereby allowing for a reduction in the overall porosity and leaving the desired product, i.e., a highly dense, large-grained uranium dicarbide. The process of using the sintering facilitator materials can be applied in the preparation of other carbide materials.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5320786
• OSTI ID: 869350
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

zone
sintering
ceramic
fuels
cold
pressed
fuel
compacts
sintered
temperatures
1850
degree
contact
facilitator
material
tantalum
niobium
tungsten
metal
carbide
uranium
allowing
reduction
overall
porosity
leaving
desired
product
highly
dense
large-grained
dicarbide
process
materials
applied
preparation
metal carbide
cold pressed
desired product
uranium dicarbide
fuel compacts
ceramic fuel
uranium carbide
highly dense
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