URANIUM CARBIDE
Abstract
The results of the effect of production conditions on the composition of UC are presented. The conditions studied included sintering and hot extrusion of UC powders and sintering of UC + U alloys. An optimum regime for obtaining stoichiometric UC was established. Compacts of the initial mixture UO2 and carbon black, placed in beryllium oxide crucibles were sintered in a vacuum furnace with graphite heating elements. The UC briquets obtained were then ground into powder with particle sizes less than 10-15 microns. For hot extrusion of UC specimens, the graphite extrusion die was placed in a hermetically sealed metal vacuum chamber in which a pressure of about 10 mm Hg was maintained. The effect of extrusion pressure, temperature, and time on specimen density were studied. The porosity of hot-extruded specimens with length to diameter ratio equal to one was about 5%. Compacts of UC powder and UC + U mixtures with varying U content were placed in a graphite crucible and sintered in a vacuum furnace with graphite heating elements. After sintering for 2 hr at 2200 C, the porosity of UC was found to be 10%. The introduction of metallic U sharply increased the density. With U content of 25% by volume and 2 hr sintering at 1700 C, it was possible to obtain a specimen with porosity of 5% or less.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 16, 1961
- Accession Number
- AD0252462
Entities
Organizations
- Library of Congress