UO/sub 2/ oxidation at low temperatures in air

Technical Report · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5729225

White, G D; Gilbert, E R

The work reported here was initiated with the objective of establishing oxidation rates for unirradiated or irradiated pellets at temperatures of interest to fuel storage. The time to initiate a spalling and the composition of the oxidation products were determined. UO/sub 2/ pellets heated at 150/sup 0/C for 12 months in air showed no weight gain. UO/sub 2/ pellets heated at 200, 215, 230, and 250/sup 0/C in air all exhibited an induction period in which pellets gained weight before spalling began. At 230 and 250/sup 0/C, pellet spalling was accompanied by the formation of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/; however, pellet spalling at 200 and 215/sup 0/C produced powders containing U/sub 8/O/sub 19/ and only small amounts of U/sub 3/O/sub 8/. At temperatures of 250/sup 0/ and below, UO/sub 2/ pellet grain expansion resulting from oxidation in air is accommodated by the cracking and parting of the gain surface, thus producing a spalled powder with a particle distribution similar to the grain size distribution of the pellet.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 5729225
• Report Number(s): PNL-SA-11711; CONF-8310175-2; ON: DE84000936
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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DATA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
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