Production of spherical UO/sub 2/-UC/sub 2/ for nuclear fuel applications using thermochemical principles

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982 · J. Am. Ceram. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1982.tb10463.x· OSTI ID:5880100

Stinton, D P; Lackey, W J; Spence, R D

A process was developed for the production of high-density UO/sub 2/-UC/sub 2/ microspheres for use as fuel in HTGRs. This process applied thermochemical principles so that reaction and sintering could occur at the unusually low temperature of 1550/sup 0/C and neartheoretical densities could still be obtained. Temperatures previously used for carbothermic conversion are several hundred degrees higher./sup 12/ Reaction and sintering took place in two steps. The first was sintering in Ar-1% CO at 1550/sup 0/C for 4 h. which produced highly dense microspheres containing UO/sub 2/ and UC /SUB x/ O /SUB y/. The second required sintering in Ar-3% CO at 1550/sup 0/C for an additional 4 h to shift the thermodynamic equilibrium from UO/sub 2/ and UC /SUB x/ O /SUB y/ to UO/sub 2/ and UC/sub 2/. The highly dense structure was retained, while carbon from the carbon monoxide atmosphere reacted with UC /SUB x/ O /SUB y/ to form UO/sub 2/ and UC/sub 2/.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5880100
• Journal Information: J. Am. Ceram. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Am. Ceram. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 65:7; ISSN JACTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

050700* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Fuels Production & Properties
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360201 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Preparation & Fabrication
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ARGON
ATMOSPHERES
CARBIDES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONATES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
EQUILIBRIUM
FABRICATION
FLUIDS
FUEL DENSIFICATION
GAS COOLED REACTORS
GASES
GRAPHITE MODERATED REACTORS
HTGR TYPE REACTORS
KINETICS
MICROSPHERES
MICROSTRUCTURE
NONMETALS
NUCLEAR FUEL CONVERSION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRODUCTION
RARE GASES
REACTION KINETICS
REACTORS
SINTERING
THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
URANIUM CARBIDES
URANIUM CARBONATES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
URANIUM DIOXIDE
URANIUM OXIDES
VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE