A Method for Preparing Dense Spherical Particles of Thorium and Thorium-Uranium Dicarbides
- 19 May 1967
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Nuclear Applications
- Vol. 3 (5) , 287-293
- https://doi.org/10.13182/NT67-A27887
Abstract
A process, developed for preparing dense, spherical particles of ThC2 and (Th,U)C2, consists of heating dense sol-gel oxide microspheres with lampblack in a rotating crucible under a flow of argon at 1900 to 2200°C. A precise rotational speed and a special crucible design were necessary to maintain good oxide-to-carbon contact, and to prevent the particles from sintering together and bonding to the crucible wall. The products have a high degree of sphericity and surface smoothness, depending upon the starting sol-gel oxide microspheres. The principal advantages of this process over others currently used are: 1) no elaborate blending techniques of oxide and carbon are required; 2) no densification or spheroidization step is required after the reduction reaction; and 3) the temperature of the process is lower than that of many spheroidization methods.Keywords
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