Synthesis of high dense yttrium-stabilised hafnia pellets for nuclear applications by spark plasma sintering

Dense yttrium–stabilised hafnia pellets (91.35 wt.% HfO2 and 8.65 wt.% Y2O3) were prepared by spark plasma sintering consolidation of micro-beads synthesised by the ‘‘external gelation’’ sol–gel technique. This technique allows a preparation of HfO2–Y2O3 beads with homogenous yttria–hafnia solid solution. A sintering time of 5 min at 1600 C was sufficient to produce high density pellets (over 90% of the theoretical density) with significant reproducibility. The pellets have been machined in a lathe to the correct dimensions for use as neutron absorbers in an experimental test irradiation in the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten, Holland, in order to investigate the safety of americium based nuclear fuels.

TYRPEKL Vaclav;  HOLZHAEUSER Michael;  HEIN Herwin;  VIGIER Jean-Francois;  SOMERS Joseph;  SVORA Petr; 

2015-01-13

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

JRC88184

0022-3115,   

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022311514005571,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC88184,   

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2014.08.029,