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Production of Spherical UO 2 ‐UC 2 for Nuclear Fuel Applications Using Thermochemical Principles
Author(s) -
STINTON D.P.,
LACKEY W. J.,
SPENCE R.D.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1982.tb10463.x
Subject(s) - uranium , carbon fibers , materials science , sintering , carbon monoxide , carbide , carbothermic reaction , uranium dioxide , pyrolysis , chemical engineering , nuclear chemistry , mineralogy , chemistry , metallurgy , organic chemistry , composite material , composite number , engineering , catalysis
A process for the fabrication of uranium dioxide‐uranium dicarbide microspheres for use as an advanced nuclear fuel is described. The uranium‐carbon‐oxygen phase diagram was used extensively in applying thermochemical principles to the combined process of uranium carbide synthesis and kernel sintering. Variation of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide during the carbothermic reduction of urania plus carbon allowed the kernel composition and density to be controlled. X‐ray diffraction, microstructural examination, and detailed chemical analyses were used to identify the kernel composition. A procedure was developed to convert urania plus carbon microspheres produced by a wet‐chemical gelation process to a highly dense UO 2 −UC 2 product at 1550°C. Kernels were first treated at 1550°C in Ar‐1% CO for 4 h to produce high‐density microspheres with a composition of UO 2 +UC x: O y , (x +y≤1.1). These kernels were then processed at 1550°C for an additonal 4 h in Ar‐3% CO to shift the thermodynamic equilibrium from UO 2 +UC x O y , to the desired UO 2 +UC 2 . Batches of material containing different initial amounts of carbon were processed to produce high‐density microspheres having specific UC 2 contents.