Quantification of process variables for carbothermic synthesis of UC1-xNx fuel microspheres

Lindemer, Terrance B.; Silva, Chinthaka M.; Henry, Jr, John James; McMurray, Jake W.; Voit, Stewart L.; Collins, Jack Lee; Hunt, Rodney Dale

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.11.006

Title: Quantification of process variables for carbothermic synthesis of UC_1-xN_x fuel microspheres

Journal Article · Sat Nov 05 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Journal of Nuclear Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.11.006· OSTI ID:1360046

Lindemer, Terrance B. ^[1]; Silva, Chinthaka M. ^[2]; Henry, Jr, John James ^[2]; McMurray, Jake W. ^[2]; Voit, Stewart L. ^[2]; Collins, Jack Lee ^[2]; Hunt, Rodney Dale ^[2]

MPI Business Solutions, Inc., Knoxville, TN (United States)
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

This report details the continued investigation of process variables involved in converting sol-gel-derived, urania-carbon microspheres to ~820-μm-dia. UC_1-xN_x fuel kernels in flow-through, vertical Mo and W crucibles at temperatures up to 2123 K. Experiments included calcining of air-dried UO₃-H₂O-C microspheres in Ar and H₂-containing gases, conversion of the resulting UO₂-C kernels to dense UO2:2UC in the same gases and vacuum, and its conversion in N₂ to UC_1-xN_x (x = ~0.85). The thermodynamics of the relevant reactions were applied extensively to interpret and control the process variables. Producing the precursor UO₂:2UC kernel of ~96% theoretical density was required, but its subsequent conversion to UC_1-xN_x at 2123 K was not accompanied by sintering and resulted in ~83-86% of theoretical density. Increasing the UC_1-xN_x kernel nitride component to ~0.98 in flowing N₂-H₂ mixtures to evolve HCN was shown to be quantitatively consistent with present and past experiments and the only useful application of H₂ in the entire process.

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Research Organization:: Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

OSTI ID:: 1360046

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1414021

Journal Information:: Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 483; ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 13 works

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Production of near‐full density uranium nitride microspheres with a hot isostatic press McMurray, Jacob W.; Kiggans, Jim O.; Helmreich, Grant W. Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 101, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.15766	journal	May 2018

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