Preparation of Uco Sols Suitable for Gelation into Microspheres by Sol-Gel Process with Glucose

Abstract

The uranium carbon oxide (UCO) fuel stands out with its superior thermal conductivity and a higher uranium content compared to the more traditional uranium dioxide, making it an ideal candidate for the advanced nuclear reactors. The fabrication of such uranium-based fuel kernels hinges on a crucial step, which is the preparation of the uranium sol, which significantly affects the dispersion of the gel particles and, ultimately, the quality of the final products.The objective of this study was to prepare UCO ceramic microspheres using glucose as a carbon source by the external gelation method combined with carbothermal reduction. The effects of the sol-preparation conditions on the physicochemical properties of the gels were investigated, the interaction between glucose and the gels was explored, and the cracking problem occurring in the gel spheres was effectively solved by the addition of an appropriate amount of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol.

Keywords: UCO fuel, glucose, carbon source, external process, sol properties