Synthesis and Sintering of UN-UO2 Fuel Composites

Brian J. Jaques; Jennifer Watkins; Joseph R. Croteau; Gordan A. Alanko; Darryl P. Butt

Synthesis and Sintering of UN-UO₂ Fuel Composites

Brian J. Jaques, Jennifer Watkins, Joseph R. Croteau, Gordan A. Alanko, Darryl P. Butt

Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering

Boise State University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The design and development of an economical, accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for use in the current light water reactor (LWR) fleet is highly desirable for the future of nuclear power. Uranium mononitride has been identified as an alternative fuel with higher uranium density and thermal conductivity when compared to the benchmark, UO 2 , which could also provide significant economic benefits. However, UN by itself reacts with water at reactor operating temperatures. In order to reduce its reactivity, the addition of UO 2 to UN has been suggested. In order to avoid carbon impurities, UN was synthesized from elemental uranium using a hydride-dehydride-nitride thermal synthesis route prior to mixing with up to 10 wt% UO 2 in a planetary ball mill. UN and UN ‒ UO 2 composite pellets were sintered in Ar ‒ (0‒1 at %) N 2 to study the effects of nitrogen concentration on the evolved phases and microstructure. UN and UN-UO 2 composite pellets were also sintered in Ar ‒ 100 ppm N 2 to assess the effects of temperature (1700‒2000 &ring;C) on the final grain morphology and phase concentration.

Original language	American English
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
State	Published - 1 Nov 2015

Keywords

composite fuel
nuclear fuel
uranium nitride

EGS Disciplines

Materials Science and Engineering

Access to Document

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.029

Cite this

@article{99a067c5252d4ab898f0c7584646f718,

title = "Synthesis and Sintering of UN-UO2 Fuel Composites",

abstract = " The design and development of an economical, accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for use in the current light water reactor (LWR) fleet is highly desirable for the future of nuclear power. Uranium mononitride has been identified as an alternative fuel with higher uranium density and thermal conductivity when compared to the benchmark, UO 2 , which could also provide significant economic benefits. However, UN by itself reacts with water at reactor operating temperatures. In order to reduce its reactivity, the addition of UO 2 to UN has been suggested. In order to avoid carbon impurities, UN was synthesized from elemental uranium using a hydride-dehydride-nitride thermal synthesis route prior to mixing with up to 10 wt% UO 2 in a planetary ball mill. UN and UN ‒ UO 2 composite pellets were sintered in Ar ‒ (0‒1 at %) N 2 to study the effects of nitrogen concentration on the evolved phases and microstructure. UN and UN-UO 2 composite pellets were also sintered in Ar ‒ 100 ppm N 2 to assess the effects of temperature (1700‒2000 &ring;C) on the final grain morphology and phase concentration.",

keywords = "composite fuel, nuclear fuel, uranium nitride",

author = "Jaques, {Brian J.} and Jennifer Watkins and Croteau, {Joseph R.} and Alanko, {Gordan A.} and Butt, {Darryl P.}",

note = "Jaques, Brian J.; Watkins, Jennifer; Croteau, Joseph R.; Alanko, Gordan A.; and Butt, Darryl P. (2015). {"}Synthesis and Sintering of UN-UO2 Fuel Composites{"}.Journal of Nuclear Materials, 466, 745-754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.029",

year = "2015",

month = nov,

day = "1",

language = "American English",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Synthesis and Sintering of UN-UO2 Fuel Composites

AU - Jaques, Brian J.

AU - Watkins, Jennifer

AU - Croteau, Joseph R.

AU - Alanko, Gordan A.

AU - Butt, Darryl P.

N1 - Jaques, Brian J.; Watkins, Jennifer; Croteau, Joseph R.; Alanko, Gordan A.; and Butt, Darryl P. (2015). "Synthesis and Sintering of UN-UO2 Fuel Composites".Journal of Nuclear Materials, 466, 745-754. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.029

PY - 2015/11/1

Y1 - 2015/11/1

N2 - The design and development of an economical, accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for use in the current light water reactor (LWR) fleet is highly desirable for the future of nuclear power. Uranium mononitride has been identified as an alternative fuel with higher uranium density and thermal conductivity when compared to the benchmark, UO 2 , which could also provide significant economic benefits. However, UN by itself reacts with water at reactor operating temperatures. In order to reduce its reactivity, the addition of UO 2 to UN has been suggested. In order to avoid carbon impurities, UN was synthesized from elemental uranium using a hydride-dehydride-nitride thermal synthesis route prior to mixing with up to 10 wt% UO 2 in a planetary ball mill. UN and UN ‒ UO 2 composite pellets were sintered in Ar ‒ (0‒1 at %) N 2 to study the effects of nitrogen concentration on the evolved phases and microstructure. UN and UN-UO 2 composite pellets were also sintered in Ar ‒ 100 ppm N 2 to assess the effects of temperature (1700‒2000 &ring;C) on the final grain morphology and phase concentration.

AB - The design and development of an economical, accident tolerant fuel (ATF) for use in the current light water reactor (LWR) fleet is highly desirable for the future of nuclear power. Uranium mononitride has been identified as an alternative fuel with higher uranium density and thermal conductivity when compared to the benchmark, UO 2 , which could also provide significant economic benefits. However, UN by itself reacts with water at reactor operating temperatures. In order to reduce its reactivity, the addition of UO 2 to UN has been suggested. In order to avoid carbon impurities, UN was synthesized from elemental uranium using a hydride-dehydride-nitride thermal synthesis route prior to mixing with up to 10 wt% UO 2 in a planetary ball mill. UN and UN ‒ UO 2 composite pellets were sintered in Ar ‒ (0‒1 at %) N 2 to study the effects of nitrogen concentration on the evolved phases and microstructure. UN and UN-UO 2 composite pellets were also sintered in Ar ‒ 100 ppm N 2 to assess the effects of temperature (1700‒2000 &ring;C) on the final grain morphology and phase concentration.

KW - composite fuel

KW - nuclear fuel

KW - uranium nitride

UR - https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/mse_facpubs/256

UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2015.06.029

M3 - Article

SN - 0022-3115

JO - Journal of Nuclear Materials

JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials

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