Abstract Scope |
High uranium density alloys, ceramics, and composites have garnered increased attention in recent years. Reactor and fuel vendors seek the increased economics that these materials facilitate. Furthermore, high uranium density ceramics bring to bear increased operating temperatures leading to more efficient heat transfer as well as enhanced safety due to lower thermal stresses during reactor operation. While UN has seen significant attention for implementation as particle fuel, LWR fuel, and space reactor fuel, there remail significant data gaps and associated uncertainties with respect to irradiation performance. Presented will be a review of recent data as well as ongoing experimental efforts aimed to bridge the gaps in knowledge surrounding the applicability of UN as a water cooled reactor fuel. Additionally, advances in UB<sub>2</sub> fabrication will be presented, alongside a discussion on the potential of UB<sub>2</sub> as a fuel composite constituent. |