| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2022 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Mechanical Behavior and Degradation of Advanced Nuclear Fuel and Structural Materials
|
| Presentation Title |
Uranium Nitride/Uranium Boride Composite Materials |
| Author(s) |
Joel Turner, James Buckley, Robert Worth, Tim Abram |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Joel Turner |
| Abstract Scope |
Uranium nitride fuel is of interest as an alternative to uranium dioxide due to the higher uranium density and thermal conductivity it offers. The primary challenge to its use in light water reactors is the relatively low temperature at which UN undergoes hydrolysis in steam. We will outline work in which we have increased this onset temperature by over 100C via the addition of a uranium diboride phase. The addition of UB2 has further potential benefits, as it has a very high thermal conductivity, operates as a burnable absorber while not removing significant uranium from the UN matrix. Manufacture and initial characterisation data are presented, alongside steam reaction measurements and post-oxidation characterisation. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, Composites, |