FAST OXIDE BREEDER PROJECT. II. PRELIMINARY SINTERING STUDIES OF PLUTONIUM- URANIUM DIOXIDE PELLETS

Technical Report · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 1960

OSTI ID:4019747

Cleveland, J M; Cavanaugh, W C

A series of brief studies was made in which the effects of various parameters on sintering efficiency of plutonium dioxide- uranium dioxide pellets were noted. Single-pressing produced pellets equaled in sintered density to those pressed twice. The effect of particle size in the range above 40 microns on sintered densities seems to be minor. A minimum temperature in excess of 1500 deg C is necessary for effective sintering, and a hydrogen-helium atmosphere yields better results than pure helium. A tachnique was developed for determining pellet densities while sintering and yielded information which reveals that the greater part of densification occurs during the first few minutes of sintering. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co. Vallecitos Atomic Lab., Pleasanton, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-025168
• OSTI ID: 4019747
• Report Number(s): GEAP-3487
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

COMPACTING
DENSITY
EFFICIENCY
FOB
GRAIN SIZE
HELIUM
HYDROGEN
INERT GASES
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
PELLETS
PLUTONIUM OXIDES
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
REACTORS
SINTERING
TEMPERATURE
URANIUM DIOXIDE