Determination of activation energy of sintering of ThO2-U3O8 pellets using the master sintering curve approach

• Main Authors: Kutty T.R.G., Khan K.B., Hegde P.V., Sengupta A.K., Majumdar S., Kamath H.S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: International Institute for the Science of Sintering, Beograd 2003-01-01
• Series: Science of Sintering
• Subjects: sintering; kinetics; activation energy; dilatometer; thoria
• Online Access: http://www.doiserbia.nb.rs/img/doi/0350-820X/2003/0350-820X0303125K.pdf

ThO2 containing around 2 to 3 % U233O2 is considered as fuel for the forthcoming Indian Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR). High-density ThO2-UO2 pellets have been fabricated by powder metallurgy route using ThO2 and U3O8 powders as the starting materials. U3O8 decomposes to UO2 during high temperature sintering and forms a solid solution with ThO2. The densification behaviour and sintering kinetics of the above were evaluated using a high temperature dilatometer using constant heating rate experiments. To evaluate the activation energy of sintering, a master sintering curve approach has been used. The activation energy for sintering for the above composition in air was found to be 500 kJ/mol.