Synthesis and sintering of UN-UO₂ fuel composites

Journal Article · Wed Jun 17 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.029· OSTI ID:1294431

Jaques, Brian J.  ^[1]; Watkins, Jennifer ^[1]; Croteau, Joseph R. ^[1]; Alanko, Gordon A. ^[1]; Tyburska-Puschel, Beata ^[2]; Meyer, Mitch ^[3]; Xu, Peng ^[4]; Lahoda, Edward J.  ^[4]; Butt, Darryl P. ^[1]

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1. Boise State Univ., Boise, ID (United States); Center for Advanced Energy Studies, Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
2. Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI (United States)
3. Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
4. Westinghouse Electric Company, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

In this study, the design and development of an economical, accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for use in the current light water reactor (LWR) fleet is highly desirable for the future of nuclear power. Uranium mononitride has been identified as an alternative fuel with higher uranium density and thermal conductivity when compared to the benchmark, UO₂, which could also provide significant economic benefits. However, UN by itself reacts with water at reactor operating temperatures. In order to reduce its reactivity, the addition of UO₂ to UN has been suggested. In order to avoid carbon impurities, UN was synthesized from elemental uranium using a hydride-dehydride-nitride thermal synthesis route prior to mixing with up to 10 wt% UO₂ in a planetary ball mill. UN and UN – UO₂ composite pellets were sintered in Ar – (0–1 at%) N₂ to study the effects of nitrogen concentration on the evolved phases and microstructure. UN and UN-UO₂ composite pellets were also sintered in Ar – 100 ppm N₂ to assess the effects of temperature (1700–2000 °C) on the final grain morphology and phase concentration.

• Research Organization: Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Grant/Contract Number: AC07-05ID14517; 00120690
• OSTI ID: 1294431
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1252219
• Report Number(s): INL/JOU-15-35902; PII: S002231151530057X
• Journal Information: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 466, Issue C; ISSN 0022-3115
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
uranium nitride
composite fuel
nuclear fuel