SINTERING OF THORIA POWDERS—PART I A study of the Relation between the Mode of Origin, Powder Characteristics and Sinterability of Thoria Powders

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Abstract
Thoria powders prepared by thermal decomposition of thorium compounds have different powder characteristics. In the present study of the thoria derived from thorium tannate, carbonate, oxalate and benzoate by thermal decomposition, it was found that at 600°C, (1) the crystallite size of the resulting powder bears a relation to the parent compound; (2) surface characteristics, as indicated by hydration are different. Increase in temperature of calcination resulted in an increase in crystallite size and lowering of hydration in the powders of different origins. A smaller crystallite size and a greater hydration in the powders resulted in the densification of the pellets made from them at lower sintering temperatures. It appears that there is an optimum sintering temperature range for each of the powders, depending on Us characteristics. Within this range, increase hi soaking, time resulted in a greater densification. For powders calcined at 600°C, the optimum sintering temperatures were, 1200–1300°C for the powders from tannate, 1200–1500°C for powders from carbonate and 1300–1400°C for powders from the oxalate and benzoate. It is shown that the texture of the compacts depends on the powders used and the sintering treatments given. An attempt) is made to find the relation between the mode of origin, the powder characteristics and sintering characteristics of thoria.

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