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Ceramics International 40 (2014) 56715674
www.elsevier.com/locate/ceramint
Received 10 October 2013; received in revised form 1 November 2013; accepted 2 November 2013
Available online 12 November 2013
Abstract
This paper studies the preparation of UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel through sol gel-press forming. The research shows that at 1200
1300 1C, UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic grains are small, uniform and compact. Among them, UO20.5 wt%TiO2 has the highest density and
good mechanical strength at 1250 1C.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2013.11.004
5672 H. Wang et al. / Ceramics International 40 (2014) 56715674
3.1. The inuence of sintering temperatures and the content of Fig. 2 shows that when the sintering temperature is at 1150
TiO2 on the density of composite ceramic fuel 1300 1C, titanium oxide can effectively promote the grain
growth of UO2 microspheres. In the whole range of the
Fig. 1 shows that when the sintering temperature is at 1150 sintering temperatures, when TiO2 content is 0.5 wt%, the
1300 1C, titanium oxide can signicantly promote the sintering rate grain growth of UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel is most
of UO2. The sintered density of UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel signicant. With increase of TiO2 content, the grains of
is signicantly higher than that of UO2 fuel. With the increase of UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel grow slowly with a
sintering temperature, the densication of UO2/TiO2 composite slight downward trend. The grain sizes of UO2/TiO2 composite
ceramic fuel enhances unceasingly. At the sintering temperature of ceramic fuel with the same content of TiO2 increase
1250 1C, the theoretical sintered density of UO2/TiO2 composite with temperature rise. Especially when the sintering tempera-
ceramic fuel is over 96%, reaching the highest degree of densi- ture exceeds 1250 1C, the grain sizes increase more signi-
cation. But when the sintering temperature is further increased, cantly. When the TiO2 content is 0.5 wt% and the sintering
H. Wang et al. / Ceramics International 40 (2014) 56715674 5673
Fig. 2. The inuence of sintering temperatures and the content of TiO2 on the Fig. 3. The inuence of sintering temperatures and the content of TiO2 on the
grain sizes of composite ceramic fuel. strength of UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel.
temperature is 1300 1C, the grain size of UO2/TiO2 composite 3.4. The analysis of the microstructure and titanium
ceramic fuel reaches the maximum. distribution of UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel
From the above-mentioned experiment results, large grains
of UO2 can be obtained by adding a small amount of TiO2. Fig. 4 shows microscopic structure (SEM) and the titanium
A large amount may hinder the grain growth. Temperature has element distribution of UO20.5 wt%TiO2 composite ceramic
a great inuence on grain growth. The higher the temperature fuel at different sintering temperatures. It can be seen that there
is, the faster the material migration rate and the grain growth is no obvious free phase in the sintered body of UO20.5 wt%
are. The experimental results from Fig. 2 are consistent with TiO2 composite ceramic fuel. Composite ceramic grains are
other material grain growth laws, namely, the higher the small, uniform and closely arranged with good compactness.
sintering temperature is, the larger the grain size is. In addition, after UO20.5 wt%TiO2 composite ceramic fuel is
sintered at 1200 1C, 1250 1C and 1300 1C, titanium is uni-
formly distributed within the fuel grains. Therefore, it also
illustrates that the sintered body of UO20.5 wt%TiO2 com-
3.3. The inuence of sintering temperatures and the content of posite ceramic fuel forms a stable solid solution with good
TiO2 on the strength of composite ceramic fuel sintering property and mechanical strength.
If the inuence of TiO2 content and sintering temperatures
Crushing strength tests are done on UO2/TiO2 composite on the sintered density, grain sizes and crushing strength of
ceramic fuel samples which have been sintered at 1150 1C, composite ceramic fuel samples is taken into account as a
1200 1C, 1250 1C, and 1300 1C with different contents of whole, UO20.5 wt%TiO2 composite ceramic fuel samples
TiO2. The inuence of sintering temperatures and the content with 0.5 wt% TiO2 at 1200 1C has a good sintering effect with
of TiO2 on the crushing strength of composite ceramic fuel is high sintered density and exural strength as well as uniform
shown in Fig. 3. According to Fig. 3, at 1150 1C, 1200 1C, growth of grain sizes and good microstructure. Therefore,
1250 1C and 1300 1C, the variation tendency of the strength of 0.5 wt% of TiO2 and the sintering temperature of 1250 1C are
UO2/TiO2 composite ceramic fuel is basically consistent with suitable for the preparation of UO20.5 wt%TiO2 composite
that of different contents of TiO2 which means that when TiO2 ceramic fuel with high density and strength as well as good
in the composite ceramic materials increases from 0 to 0.5 wt microstructure.
%, the strength of the sample greatly increases. When TiO2
content increases from 0.5 wt% to 2.0 wt%, the strength of the 4. Conclusion
sample varies a little with a slight downward trend.
From the analysis of Figs. 1 and 2, when TiO2 is 0.5 wt% in (1) When TiO2 in the composite ceramic fuel increases from 0
the composite ceramic fuel, the densication degree of the to 0.5 wt%, the sintering performance of the sample greatly
sample is high, so the sample has higher exural strength. increases. But when TiO2 content increases from 0.5 wt%
When the TiO2 is 0.5 wt% at 1300 1C, composite ceramic fuel to 2.0 wt%, the sintered density of the sample varies a
has the highest exural strength of 24.5 MPa. The increase of little.
TiO2 has little impact on the sintering and strength of (2) When TiO2 in the composite ceramic fuel increases from 0
composite ceramic fuel. This kind of phenomenon is identical to 0.5 wt%, the crushing strength of the sample greatly
to the situation of the inuence of TiO2 content on the sintered increases. But when TiO2 content increases from 0.5 wt%
density. to 2.0 wt%, the strengths of the sample change a little.
5674 H. Wang et al. / Ceramics International 40 (2014) 56715674
Fig. 4. SEM diagram and titanium distribution of UO20.5 wt%TiO2 composite ceramic fuel at different sintering temperatures. (a) 1200 1C, (b) 1250 1C and (c) 1300 1C.
(3) Within the whole range of sintering temperatures, when [3] D. Serrano-Purroy, F. Clarens, E. Gonzlez-Robles, Instant release fraction
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[6] Sung Ho Lee, Choon Ho Cho, Yoon Sang Lee, Chemical reactivity of
and the sintering temperature of 1250 1C are suitable for oxide materials with uranium and uranium trichloride, Chem. Eng. 27
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