IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PRODUCTION OF URANIUM METAL

Patent · Wed Mar 22 04:00:00 EST 1961

OSTI ID:4051540

Jepson, M D; Slattery, G

A method is given for treating uranium to render it adaptable to grnin refinement by heat treatment to the degree that its surface will not roughen unduly under irradiation. This method consists of adding 200 to 500 ppm iron and 500 to 1200 ppm aluminum to uranium. Such additions can be made by melting a magnesium-reduced uranium billet with uranium-3% aluminum alloy and iron strip in a graphite crucible by h-f induction heating. The melt is poured into alumina- lined steel molds and cooled. Beta quenching and alpha annealing then give a product with a peripheral grain structure refined by a factor of 6 to 30 from the largest initial grain size of approximately 2.0 to 3.0 mm. (D.L.C.)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-15-016030
• OSTI ID: 4051540
• Report Number(s): GB 863492
• Country of Publication: United Kingdom
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
ANNEALING
CASTING
COOLING
CRUCIBLES
FABRICATION
GRAIN SIZE
GRAPHITE
HEAT TREATMENTS
HEATING
INDUCTION
IRON
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MIXING
PHASE DIAGRAMS
TRACE AMOUNTS
URANIUM
URANIUM ALLOYS