THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF HOMOGENEOUS CERAMIC FUELS. Quarterly Report, December 1, 1960-February 28, 1961

Technical Report · Tue Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1961

OSTI ID:4774442

Activities in a program of study on the phase relations of the UO/sub 2/- - ZrO/sub 2/-- CaO and UO/sub 2/-- CeO systems are reported. A problem concerning a glassy phase formation in UO/sub 2/-ZrO/sub 2/-- CaO caused by reaction with the impure ZrO/sub 2/ setter plate was resolved by use of a Mo boat in direct contact with the specimens. Compacts free of the glassy phase were prepared by H/sub 2/ sintering at 1700 to 1750 deg C to densities of 90 to 94% of theoretical. Single-phase, face-centered cubic structures developed by sintering in H/sub 2/ at 1750 deg C were thermally stable for compositions up to 15 mole% UO/sub 2/ after reheating for 28 days at 10OO deg C in Ar. Two to 98% of theoretical in H/sub 2/ at 1700 deg C without glassy phase formation. All specimens containing 7 or 21 mole % of UO/sub 2/ or U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ were cracked as a result of thermal stress. (J.R.D.)

• Research Organization: Combustion Engineering, Inc. Nuclear Div., Windsor, Conn.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-032110
• OSTI ID: 4774442
• Report Number(s): CEND-123; NYO-2994
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ARGON
CALCIUM OXIDES
CERAMICS
CERIUM OXIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMPACTING
CRACKS
DENSITY
FUELS
GLASS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
HYDROGEN
IMPURITIES
INERT GASES
LATTICES
MACHINE PARTS
MATERIALS TESTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
MOLYBDENUM
PHASE DIAGRAMS
PLANNING
PLATES
SINTERING
STABILITY
THERMAL STRESSES
U3O8
URANIUM DIOXIDE
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES