Monthly Technical Progress Report

Progress is reported on work on carbon reduction of uranium oxide; uranium slug and slug canning development; preparation and handling of fine non-pyrophoric uranium powder; separation of alloys; reduction of thorium oxide; and preparation of beryllium. Work to investigate and develop methods, by means of which flat plate fuel elements approximately 14 feet long can be manufactured economically by powder metallurgical processes and to investigate methods for producing tubular fuel elementsis reported. Progress is reported on work on hydrostatic pressing of metal powders and slip casting of metal powders. Further development work is reported on dimensionally stable uranium alloys, wire fuel elements, and perforated wafer fuel elements, as well as investigation of the mechanism of dimensional instability of U under irradiation and the fundamentals of sintering and of diffusional bonding