FABRICATION DEVELOPMENT OF U-Mo-UO$sub 2$ AND U-Mo-UC DISPERSION FUELS FOR THE ENRICO FERMI FAST-BREEDER REACTOR

Technical Report · Mon Jun 24 04:00:00 EDT 1963

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/4703086· OSTI ID:4703086

Rabin, S A; Martin, M M; Lotts, A L; Hammond, J P

The fabricability of dispersion fuels using UO/sub 2/ or UC as the dispersoid and uranium combined with 10 to 15 wt% Mo as the matrix was investigated. Cores containing l7.8 wt% UO/sub 2/ dispersed in U-- 15 wt.% Mo were successfully fabricated to about 80% of theoretical density by cold pressing at 50 tsi, sintering at 1100 deg C, and cold coining at 50 tsi. Comparable results were obtained with UC as the dispersoid. Core fabrication results varied greatly with the type of matrix powder used. Occluded gases, pour density, and surface cleanliness bore important relations to the fabrication behavior of powders. Suitable pressing and sintering results were obtained with prealloyed, calcium-reduced U--Mo powder and with molybdenum and calcium-reduced uranium as elemental powders. Shotted prealloyed powders were difficult to press and sinter, as were elemental and prealloyed powders prepared by hydriding. The cores containing UO/sub 2/ were picture-frame, hot-roll-clad as miniature plates. Molybdenum, Fansteel 82, and Zr--3 wt% Al were investigated as cladding materials. While each bonded well to itself, only the molybdenum-clad core, rolled at 1150 deg C to 10/1 reduction, resulted in dispersions free of ruptures and UO/sub 2/ fragmentation and in strong bonding to the core, evaluated by metallography, mechanical peel, and thermal shock tests. The matrix phase was homogeneous, but the UO/sub 2/ dispersoid showed stringering characteristic of cores worked by hot rolling. Core densities as high as 99% of theoretical were obtained. (auth)

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• NSA Number: NSA-17-028531
• OSTI ID: 4703086
• Report Number(s): ORNL-3437
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ALUMINUM ALLOYS
BONDING
BREEDING
COLD WORKING
DEFORMATION
DENSITY
DISPERSIONS
FABRICATION
FANSTEEL
FAST NEUTRONS
FUEL CANS
FUELS
GASES
HOT WORKING
INSPECTION
METALLOGRAPHY
MOLYBDENUM
MOLYBDENUM ALLOYS
PLATES
POWDERS
REACTOR CORE
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
REACTORS
REDUCTION
ROLLING
SINTERING
STEELS
SURFACES
THERMAL STRESSES
URANIUM
URANIUM ALLOYS
URANIUM CARBIDES
URANIUM DIOXIDE
ZIRCONIUM ALLOYS