THE APPLICATION OF THE CHIP AND SHOT METHODS TO THE PREPARATION OF HOMOGENEOUS ALLOYS

Chip method experiments were performed for the preparation of Th - 9 wt.% U, U - 10 wt.% Nb, and Al--16 wt.% U - 0.2 wt.% B alloys. The work on Th-9 wt.% U indicated that the technique was applicable with oniy slight impairment of mechanical properties and slight increase of oxygen content. Experiments on U-10 wt.% Nb to produce a more corrosion-resistant alloy were not successful. The potential use of the chip method in fabricating alloys with a burnable poison such as boron appeared feasible. An aluminum alloy containing 16 wt.% U and 0.2 wt.% B showed good homogeneity. The shot method was used on an alloy of Al-25 wt.% U. The homogeneity and the mechanical properties of this alloy, when extruded, were superior to those of similar alloys produced by conventional melting and casting. Preliminary work on the blending of master alloys of a burnable poison (i.e., boron) with an aluminumuranium alloy indicated the feasibility of obtaining a homogeneous alloy with good mechanlcal properties. (auth