Preparation of a Sinterable Beryllium Oxide ThroUGH Decomposition of Beryllium Hydroxide; PREPARATION D'UN OXYDE DE BERYLLIUM FRITTABLE PAR DECOMPOSITION DE L'HYDROXYDE

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1963

OSTI ID:4147053

Bernier, M

A study was attempted to isolate the factors which among the ones effective in the course of the preparation of the beryllium hydroxide and oxide and during the sintering have an influence on the final result: the density and homogeneity of the sintered body. Of the several varieties of hydroxides precipitated from a sulfate solution, the BETA -hydroxide oniy is always contamined with beryllium sulfate and cannot be purified even by thorough washing. It was noticed that those varieties of the hydroxide (gel, alpha , BETA ) have different decomposition rates; this behavior is used to identify and even to measure the different species in ( alpha , BETA ) mixtures. The various hydroxides transmit to the resulting oxides the shape they had when precipitated. Accordingly, the history of the oxide is revealed by its behavior during its fabrication and sintering. By comparing the results of the sintering operation with the various measurements performed on the oxide powders, one is led to the conclusion that an oxide obtained from beryllium hydroxide is sinterable under vacuum if the following conditions are fulfilled: the particle size must lie between 0.l and 0.2 mu and the BeSO/sub 4/ content of the powder must be less than 0.25 per cent wt (expressed as SO/sub 3/ BeO). The best fitting is obtained with the oxide issued from an alpha hydroxide precipitated as very small aggregates and with a low sulfur content. It was observed that this is also the case for the oxide obtained by direct calcination of beryllium sulfate. (auth)

• Research Organization: France. Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique. Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires, Saclay
• NSA Number: NSA-18-001601
• OSTI ID: 4147053
• Report Number(s): CEA-2326
• Country of Publication: France
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BERYLLIUM OXIDES
BERYLLIUM SULFATES
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
IMPURITIES
PREPARATION
SINTERED MATERIALS