Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

Hunt, Rodney Dale; McMurray, Jake W.; Helmreich, Grant W.; Eckhart, Brian D.; McAlister, Abbey L.; Nelson, Andrew T.

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870

Title: Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

Abstract

Studies using internal gelation and microfluidics have shown that the production of sintered spheres with diameters below 200 mm is possible. The addition of carbon can be problematic because of slow flow rates (100 mL/min) and long run times (4 h). However, we report a solution of dispersed carbon, Cabot’s TPX-101, was successfully used with solutions of zirconyl nitrate, urea, and hexamethylenetetramine to make zirconium microspheres with carbon. A simple carbothermic reduction using a maximum temperature of 2073 K and ultrahigh purity argon produced zirconium carbide kernels with an average diameter of 28 mm and a standard deviation of 2.3 mm.

Authors:

^[1];

^[1]; Eckhart, Brian D. ^[1]; McAlister, Abbey L. ^[1];

^[1]

Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Publication Date:: Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019

Research Org.:: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Nuclear Energy (NE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1606960

Alternate Identifier(s):: OSTI ID: 1580390

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-00OR22725

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Journal of Nuclear Materials

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 528; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-3115

Publisher:: Elsevier

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Zirconium carbide kernels; Internal gelation; Microfluidics

Citation Formats


                    Hunt, Rodney Dale, McMurray, Jake W., Helmreich, Grant W., Eckhart, Brian D., McAlister, Abbey L., and Nelson, Andrew T. Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870.

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                    Hunt, Rodney Dale, McMurray, Jake W., Helmreich, Grant W., Eckhart, Brian D., McAlister, Abbey L., & Nelson, Andrew T. Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870

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                    Hunt, Rodney Dale, McMurray, Jake W., Helmreich, Grant W., Eckhart, Brian D., McAlister, Abbey L., and Nelson, Andrew T. Mon .  
"Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1606960.

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@article{osti_1606960,

  title        = {Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics},

  author       = {Hunt, Rodney Dale and McMurray, Jake W. and Helmreich, Grant W. and Eckhart, Brian D. and McAlister, Abbey L. and Nelson, Andrew T.},

  abstractNote = {Studies using internal gelation and microfluidics have shown that the production of sintered spheres with diameters below 200 mm is possible. The addition of carbon can be problematic because of slow flow rates (100 mL/min) and long run times (4 h). However, we report a solution of dispersed carbon, Cabot’s TPX-101, was successfully used with solutions of zirconyl nitrate, urea, and hexamethylenetetramine to make zirconium microspheres with carbon. A simple carbothermic reduction using a maximum temperature of 2073 K and ultrahigh purity argon produced zirconium carbide kernels with an average diameter of 28 mm and a standard deviation of 2.3 mm.},

  doi          = {10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870},

  journal      = {Journal of Nuclear Materials},

  number       = C,

  volume       = 528,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019},

  month        = {Mon Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2019}

}

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870

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Cited by: 8 works

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Figures / Tables:

Figure 1: Double wall heat exchanger with circulating water along entire gelation exit stream

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Works referenced in this record:

Properties of zirconium carbide for nuclear fuel applications
journal, October 2013

Katoh, Yutai; Vasudevamurthy, Gokul; Nozawa, Takashi
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 441, Issue 1-3
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.05.037

The preparation of ZrO2–ZrC ceramic microspheres by internal gelation process with sucrose as a carbon source
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Gao, Yong; Ma, Jingtao; Zhao, Xingyu
Ceramics International, Vol. 42, Issue 4
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The Fabrication of ZrO ₂ -ZrC Microspheres by Internal Gelation and Carbothermal Reduction Process
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Gao, Yong; Ma, Jingtao; Zhao, Xingyu
Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 99, Issue 4
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Sol–gel preparation of ZrC–ZrO2 composite microspheres using fructose as a carbon source
journal, April 2018

Sun, Xi; Ma, Jingtao; Chen, Xiaotong
Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology, Vol. 86, Issue 2
DOI: 10.1007/s10971-018-4653-7

Recommended dispersing conditions for broths used in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon
journal, September 2014

Hunt, R. D.; Collins, J. L.
Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 71
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Fabrication of size-controlled CeO ₂ microparticles by a microfluidic sol–gel process as an analog preparation of ceramic nuclear fuel particles
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Ye, Bin; Miao, Ji-Lang; Li, Jiao-Long
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Droplet Micro-Reactor for Internal Gelation to Fabricate ZrO ₂ Ceramic Microspheres
journal, October 2016

Wang, Peiyi; Li, Jiang; Nunes, Janine
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Liang, Shuaishuai; Li, Jiang; Li, Xiaomin
Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 101, Issue 9
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Using a microfluidic chip and internal gelation reaction for monodisperse calcium alginate microparticles generation
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Huang, Keng-Shiang
Frontiers in Bioscience, Vol. 12, Issue 8-12
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Quantification of process variables for carbothermic synthesis of UC1-xNx fuel microspheres
journal, January 2017

Lindemer, T. B.; Silva, C. M.; Henry, J. J.
Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 483
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Production of small uranium dioxide microspheres for cermet nuclear fuel using the internal gelation process
journal, July 2014

Hunt, R. D.; Hickman, R. R.; Ladd-Lively, J. L.
Annals of Nuclear Energy, Vol. 69
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Deconvolution of Mass Gain and Mass Loss Mechanisms During Carbothermic Reduction to Nitridation of Zirconia
journal, February 2016

Parkison, Adam J.; Nelson, Andrew T.
Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Vol. 99, Issue 5
DOI: 10.1111/jace.14156

Figures / Tables found in this record:

Figure 1 (p. 5)

Figure 2 (p. 5)

Figure 3 (p. 8)

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Similar Records

Title: Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

Abstract

Citation Formats

Figures / Tables:

Properties of zirconium carbide for nuclear fuel applications journal, October 2013

The preparation of ZrO2–ZrC ceramic microspheres by internal gelation process with sucrose as a carbon source journal, March 2016

The Fabrication of ZrO 2 -ZrC Microspheres by Internal Gelation and Carbothermal Reduction Process journal, January 2016

Sol–gel preparation of ZrC–ZrO2 composite microspheres using fructose as a carbon source journal, April 2018

Recommended dispersing conditions for broths used in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon journal, September 2014

Fabrication of size-controlled CeO 2 microparticles by a microfluidic sol–gel process as an analog preparation of ceramic nuclear fuel particles journal, August 2013

Droplet Micro-Reactor for Internal Gelation to Fabricate ZrO 2 Ceramic Microspheres journal, October 2016

Microfluidic fabrication of ceramic microspheres with controlled morphologies journal, March 2018

Using a microfluidic chip and internal gelation reaction for monodisperse calcium alginate microparticles generation journal, January 2007

Quantification of process variables for carbothermic synthesis of UC1-xNx fuel microspheres journal, January 2017

Production of small uranium dioxide microspheres for cermet nuclear fuel using the internal gelation process journal, July 2014

Deconvolution of Mass Gain and Mass Loss Mechanisms During Carbothermic Reduction to Nitridation of Zirconia journal, February 2016

Properties of zirconium carbide for nuclear fuel applications
journal, October 2013

The preparation of ZrO2–ZrC ceramic microspheres by internal gelation process with sucrose as a carbon source
journal, March 2016

The Fabrication of ZrO ₂ -ZrC Microspheres by Internal Gelation and Carbothermal Reduction Process
journal, January 2016

Sol–gel preparation of ZrC–ZrO2 composite microspheres using fructose as a carbon source
journal, April 2018

Recommended dispersing conditions for broths used in the preparation of uranium microspheres with carbon
journal, September 2014

Fabrication of size-controlled CeO ₂ microparticles by a microfluidic sol–gel process as an analog preparation of ceramic nuclear fuel particles
journal, August 2013

Droplet Micro-Reactor for Internal Gelation to Fabricate ZrO ₂ Ceramic Microspheres
journal, October 2016

Microfluidic fabrication of ceramic microspheres with controlled morphologies
journal, March 2018

Using a microfluidic chip and internal gelation reaction for monodisperse calcium alginate microparticles generation
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Quantification of process variables for carbothermic synthesis of UC1-xNx fuel microspheres
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Production of small uranium dioxide microspheres for cermet nuclear fuel using the internal gelation process
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Deconvolution of Mass Gain and Mass Loss Mechanisms During Carbothermic Reduction to Nitridation of Zirconia
journal, February 2016