TY - JOUR
T1 - Innovative preparation route for uranium carbide using citric acid as a carbon source
AU - Salvato, Daniele
AU - Vigier, Jean-Francois
AU - Dieste Blanco, Olivier
AU - Martel, Laura
AU - Somers, Joseph
AU - Tyrpekl, Václav
N1 - Score=10
PY - 2016/11/15
Y1 - 2016/11/15
N2 - The preparation of uranium carbide (UC) by carbothermal reduction and its sintering into dense pellets by conventional means require high temperatures for long periods. We have developed a preparation route yielding fine UC powder with significantly increased sinterability. At first, a mixture of nanocrystalline UO2 embedded in amorphous carbon (nano-UO2/C) was obtained by thermal decomposition of a gel containing solubilised uranyl nitrate and citric acid. Later, the nano-UO2/C powder was treated in a conventional furnace or in a modified spark plasma sintering facility at elevated temperatures (≥1200 °C) in order to obtain uranium carbide powder. The effects of initial composition, temperature, gas/vacuum atmosphere and the overall reaction kinetics are reported.
AB - The preparation of uranium carbide (UC) by carbothermal reduction and its sintering into dense pellets by conventional means require high temperatures for long periods. We have developed a preparation route yielding fine UC powder with significantly increased sinterability. At first, a mixture of nanocrystalline UO2 embedded in amorphous carbon (nano-UO2/C) was obtained by thermal decomposition of a gel containing solubilised uranyl nitrate and citric acid. Later, the nano-UO2/C powder was treated in a conventional furnace or in a modified spark plasma sintering facility at elevated temperatures (≥1200 °C) in order to obtain uranium carbide powder. The effects of initial composition, temperature, gas/vacuum atmosphere and the overall reaction kinetics are reported.
KW - Uranium carbide
KW - Citric acid
KW - Carbothermal reduction
KW - Spark plasma sintering
UR - http://ecm.sckcen.be/OTCS/llisapi.dll/open/35747078
U2 - 10.1016/j.ceramint.2016.07.138
DO - 10.1016/j.ceramint.2016.07.138
M3 - Article
SN - 0272-8842
VL - 42
SP - 16710
EP - 16717
JO - Ceramics International
JF - Ceramics International
IS - 15
ER -