INFORMATION ON THE SYSTEM URANIUM-ZIRCONIUM-(HAFNIUM, NIOBIUM, TANTALUM)- CARBON

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1961 · Planseeber. Pulvermet.

OSTI ID:4064931

Benesovsky, F; Rudy, E

Urarium monocarbide is a very promising fuel for graphite moderated high temperatare reactors. At high temperatures, however, it reacts with graphite to form compounds richer in carbon. X-ray data of the systems UC --MeC --C (Me = Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta) show that in all these systems extended two-phase regions (U, Me) C + C occur. At 1700 deg C the stable Bl-solid solution contains 30 mol.-% UC in the system UC--ZrC, 14 mol.-% UC in UC--HfC; 28 mol.-% in UC --NbC and 23 mol.-% in UC--TaC. At higher temperatares these boundaries shift slightly toward the UC side. The carbides U/sub 2/C/sub 3/ and UC/sub 2/ do not take up these metals into solution. Based on thermodynamical calculations together with the known values of UC, -- 17 plus or minus 2.5 kcal was obtained for the free energy of formation of UC/sub 2/. The relatively large error results mainly from the uncertainty of the value for UC. (auth)

• Research Organization: Metallwerk Plansee A.G., Reutte/Tirol, Austria
• NSA Number: NSA-15-019925
• OSTI ID: 4064931
• Journal Information: Planseeber. Pulvermet., Vol. Vol: 9; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: German

Related Subjects

METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
CARBIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENERGY
ERRORS
FUELS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
GRAPHITE MODERATOR
HAFNIUM ALLOYS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
NUMERICALS
PHASE DIAGRAMS
REACTORS
SOLID SOLUTIONS
TANTALUM ALLOYS
THERMODYNAMICS
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM CARBIDES
X RADIATION
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS