Uranium Silicide Fabrication for use in LWR Accident Tolerant Fuel

摘要

In collaboration with industry, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is investigating uranium silicide for use in future light water reactor fuels as a more accident resistant alternative to uranium oxide base fuels. This work is focused on producing uranium silicide (U_3Si_2) pellets by conventional powder metallurgy with a density greater than 94% of the theoretical density of U_3Si_2. This work has produced a process to consistently fabricate pellets with the desired density. High phase purity U_3Si_2 has been successfully produced. Milling of the U_3Si_2 has been optimized. Results are presented from sintering studies and microstructural examinations. The density produced by the optimized process is 11.57 g/cm~3 or 94.7% theoretical density. The optimized process will be used to produce more samples for physical property characterization and an upcoming irradiation in the Advanced Test Reactor.