Fabrication and Preliminary Evaluation of Metal Matrix Microencapsulated Fuels
- ORNL
The metal matrix microencapsulated (M3) fuel concept for light water reactors (LWRs), consisting of coated fuel particles dispersed in a zirconium metal matrix, is introduced. Fabrication of M3 fuels by hot pressing, hot isostatic pressing, or extrusion methodologies has been demonstrated over the temperature range 800-1050 C. Various types of coated fuel particles with outermost layers of pyrocarbon, SiC, ZrC, and TiN have been incorporated into the zirconium metal matrix. Mechanical particle-particle and chemical particle-matrix interactions have been observed during the preliminary characterization of as-fabricated M3 specimens. Irradiation of three M3 rodlets with surrogate coated fuel particles was carried out at mean rod temperature of 400 C to 4.6 dpa in the zirconium metal matrix. Due to absence of texture in the metal matrix no irradiation growth strain (<0.09%) was detected during the post-irradiation examination.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); High Flux Isotope Reactor; High Temperature Materials Laboratory; Shared Research Equipment Collaborative Research Center
- Sponsoring Organization:
- NE USDOE - Office of Nuclear Energy
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1040748
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Nuclear Materials, Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Materials Journal Issue: 1-3 Vol. 427; ISSN 0022-3115; ISSN JNUMAM
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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