Grain size analysis and characterization by Raman spectroscopy of a homogeneous sintered MOX fuel. Issue 16 (December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Le Guellec, Marion; Lebreton, Florent; Ramond, Laure; Martin, Philippe; Ndiaye, Abibatou; Gervais, Thierry; Bernard-Granger, Guillaume
• Is Part Of: Journal of the European Ceramic Society. Volume 42:Issue 16(2022)
• Page Start: 7553
• Page End: 7560
• Publication Date: 2022-12
• Subjects: Microstructure -- Grain size -- Raman spectroscopy -- MOX; Ceramic materials -- Periodicals; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Matériaux céramiques -- Périodiques; Composites -- Périodiques; Ceramic materials; Composite materials; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2022.09.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-2219

Abstract

Abstract: The grain size distribution of an U0.89 Pu0.11 O2 MOX fuel, sintered from a freeze-granulated powder to 97% of the theoretical density at 1700 °C during 4 h, for an oxygen potential set to − 387 kJ/mol, was investigated. The sintered microstructure is constituted by 8.5 vol% of clusters of small grains, having an average grain size around 1.5 µm, dispersed in a polycristalline matrix made of larger grains having an average grain size around 7–8 µm. Characterizations by Raman micro-spectroscopy showed that the Pu/(U+Pu) content was not the same depending on the type of grain. The large grains constituting the sintered polycrystalline matrix have a Pu/(U+Pu) content in the range 9.0–11.0 mol%, which is close to the overall target. The small grains agglutinated in the form of clusters are however clearly depleted in Pu.