Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Fabrication of aluminum nitride crucibles for molten salt and plutonium compatibility studies

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6073669
The overall objective of this research was to fabricate a calcium oxide sinter-aided aluminum nitride crucible and determine the compatibility of this crucible with molten chloride salts and plutonium metal in the DOR process. Calcium oxide sinter-aided aluminum nitride was preferred over yttrium oxide sinter-aided aluminum nitride because of (1) the presence of calcium chloride, calcium oxide, and calcium metal in the molten salts utilized in the DOR process, and (2) the higher volatility of the secondary phases formed compared with phases resulting from the addition of yttrium oxide during the aluminum nitride sintering process. The calcium oxide system may yield a higher purity crystal structure with fewer secondary phases present than in the yttrium oxide system. The secondary phases that are present in the grain boundaries may be unreactive with the calcium chloride salt due to the presence of calcium in the secondary phases.
Research Organization:
EG and G Rocky Flats, Inc., Golden, CO (United States). Rocky Flats Plant
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC34-90DP62349
OSTI ID:
6073669
Report Number(s):
RFP-4528; ON: DE92004002
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English