Effects of starting powder on microstructure and thermal conductivity of pressureless-sintered fully ceramic microencapsulated fuels. Issue 3 (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Hyoung-Jun; Kang, Eun Seo; Kim, Young-Wook; Lim, Kwang-Young; Lee, Seoung-Jae
• Is Part Of: Journal of the European Ceramic Society. Volume 43:Issue 3(2023)
• Page Start: 783
• Page End: 791
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Silicon carbide -- Fully ceramic microencapsulated fuels -- Starting SiC powder, Residual porosity, Thermal conductivity; 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.2022.11.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-2219

Abstract

Abstract: The effects of the starting SiC powder (α or β) with the addition of 5.67 wt% AlN–Y2 O3 –CeO2 –MgO additives on the residual porosity and thermal conductivity of fully ceramic microencapsulated (FCM) fuels were investigated. FCM fuels containing ∼41 vol% and ∼37 vol% tristructural isotropic (TRISO) particles could be sintered at 1870 °C using α-SiC and β-SiC powders, respectively, via a pressureless sintering route. The residual porosities of the SiC matrices in the FCM fuels prepared using the α-SiC and β-SiC powders were 1.1% and 2.3%, respectively. The thermal conductivities of FCM pellets with ∼41 vol% and ∼37 vol% TRISO particles (prepared using the α-SiC and β-SiC powders, respectively) were 59 and 41 Wm −1 K −1, respectively. The lower porosity and higher thermal conductivity of FCM fuels prepared using the α-SiC powder were attributed to the higher sinterability of the α-SiC powder than that of the β-SiC powder.