Low-temperature sintering of (U,Pu)O2 MOX in mild oxidative conditions
We compare typical reductive sintering conditions for U, Pu mixed oxides (4h at 1700°C in Ar/6%H2 + 1200 ppm H2O) with lower temperature and mildly oxidative conditions (2h at 1200°C in CO/CO2 = 1/9) and report on the resulting microstructures and homogeneity. We show that lower temperature and mildly oxidative conditions, without cover gas change, can give close-to stoichiometric, crack-free MOX pellets with a relative density of ~95%, and we propose ways to improve the homogenisations of PuO2 and UO2 and increase the grain size.
BOSHOVEN Co;
VIGIER Jean-Francois;
POEML Philipp;
NDIAYE Abibatou;
MOREL Bertrand;
KONINGS R. J. M.;
POPA Karin;
COLOGNA Marco;
2025-05-06
ELSEVIER
JRC141423
1873-4820 (online),
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311525001953?via%3Dihub,
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC141423,
10.1016/j.jnucmat.2025.155800 (online),
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