Preparation of UC ceramic nuclear fuel microspheres by combination of an improved microwave-assisted rapid internal gelation with carbothermic reduction process. Issue 15 (15th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tian, Wei; Guo, Hangxu; Chen, Desheng; Pouchon, M.A.; Horwege, Alina; Yin, Xiaojie; Huang, Qinggang; Wang, Jieru; Cao, Shiwei; Chen, Denglei; Bai, Jing; Tan, Cunmin; Fan, Fangli; Wu, Xiaolei; Shen, Tielong; Qin, Zhi
• Is Part Of: Ceramics international. Volume 44:Issue 15(2018)
• Page Start: 17945
• Page End: 17952
• Publication Date: 2018-10-15
• Subjects: Ceramic uranium carbide microspheres -- Microwave-assisted rapid internal gelation -- Carbothermic reduction -- Sintering -- Nuclear fuel; Ceramics -- Periodicals; Céramique industrielle -- Périodiques; Ceramics; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2018.06.270
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0272-8842

Abstract

Abstract: Uranium carbide (UC) ceramic microspheres filled into a cladding are a potential nuclear fuel format for nuclear reactors. Uniform sized ceramic UC microspheres with a diameter of 675 ± 10 µm were successfully prepared by an improved microwave-assisted rapid internal gelation process combined with carbothermic reduction. First of all, the nanoparticle carbon was dispersed into the HMUR stock solution, and the C-UO3 ·2H2 O gelled microspheres were prepared using an improved microwave-assisted internal gelation process without cooling the initial stock solutions. Next, the gelled microspheres were subjected to a carbothermic reduction process to obtain ceramic UC microspheres. TG and XRD investigations indicated that the C-UO3 ·2H2 O microspheres were firstly reduced into UO2 at a temperature of 700 °C, and were further converted into UC at 1500 °C in argon atmosphere. Crack-free ceramic UC microspheres with a smooth and metallic shiny surface were obtained at a sintering temperature of 1500 °C for 5 h with an initial C/U molar ratio of 3.5.