Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

R. D. Hunt; J. W. McMurray; G. W. Helmreich; B. D. Eckhart; A. L. McAlister; A. T. Nelson

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870

Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

R. D. Hunt, J. W. McMurray, G. W. Helmreich, B. D. Eckhart, A. L. McAlister, A. T. Nelson

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Studies using internal gelation and microfluidics have shown that the production of sintered spheres with diameters below 200 μm is possible. The addition of carbon can be problematic because of slow flow rates (100 μL/min) and long run times (4 h). However, a solution of dispersed carbon, Cabot's TPX-101, was successfully used with solutions of zirconyl nitrate, urea, and hexamethylenetetramine to make zirconium microspheres with carbon. A simple carbothermic reduction using a maximum temperature of 2073 K and ultrahigh purity argon produced zirconium carbide kernels with an average diameter of 28 μm and a standard deviation of 2.3 μm.

Original language	English
Article number	151870
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	528
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870
State	Published - Jan 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through a contract with UT-Battelle, LLC. The work was performed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the auspices of the Isotope and Fuel Cycle Technology Division and the Materials Science and Technology Division. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC). This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through a contract with UT-Battelle, LLC . The work was performed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the auspices of the Isotope and Fuel Cycle Technology Division and the Materials Science and Technology Division. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) Advanced Fuels Campaign (AFC) . Appendix A

Funders	Funder number
Advanced Fuels Campaign
DOE-NE
UT-Battelle
U.S. Department of Energy
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Savannah River Operations Office, U.S. Department of Energy

Keywords

Internal gelation
Microfluidics
Zirconium carbide kernels

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870

Cite this

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title = "Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics",

abstract = "Studies using internal gelation and microfluidics have shown that the production of sintered spheres with diameters below 200 μm is possible. The addition of carbon can be problematic because of slow flow rates (100 μL/min) and long run times (4 h). However, a solution of dispersed carbon, Cabot's TPX-101, was successfully used with solutions of zirconyl nitrate, urea, and hexamethylenetetramine to make zirconium microspheres with carbon. A simple carbothermic reduction using a maximum temperature of 2073 K and ultrahigh purity argon produced zirconium carbide kernels with an average diameter of 28 μm and a standard deviation of 2.3 μm.",

keywords = "Internal gelation, Microfluidics, Zirconium carbide kernels",

author = "Hunt, {R. D.} and McMurray, {J. W.} and Helmreich, {G. W.} and Eckhart, {B. D.} and McAlister, {A. L.} and Nelson, {A. T.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151870",

language = "English",

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journal = "Journal of Nuclear Materials",

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AU - Hunt, R. D.

AU - McMurray, J. W.

AU - Helmreich, G. W.

AU - Eckhart, B. D.

AU - McAlister, A. L.

AU - Nelson, A. T.

PY - 2020/1

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N2 - Studies using internal gelation and microfluidics have shown that the production of sintered spheres with diameters below 200 μm is possible. The addition of carbon can be problematic because of slow flow rates (100 μL/min) and long run times (4 h). However, a solution of dispersed carbon, Cabot's TPX-101, was successfully used with solutions of zirconyl nitrate, urea, and hexamethylenetetramine to make zirconium microspheres with carbon. A simple carbothermic reduction using a maximum temperature of 2073 K and ultrahigh purity argon produced zirconium carbide kernels with an average diameter of 28 μm and a standard deviation of 2.3 μm.

AB - Studies using internal gelation and microfluidics have shown that the production of sintered spheres with diameters below 200 μm is possible. The addition of carbon can be problematic because of slow flow rates (100 μL/min) and long run times (4 h). However, a solution of dispersed carbon, Cabot's TPX-101, was successfully used with solutions of zirconyl nitrate, urea, and hexamethylenetetramine to make zirconium microspheres with carbon. A simple carbothermic reduction using a maximum temperature of 2073 K and ultrahigh purity argon produced zirconium carbide kernels with an average diameter of 28 μm and a standard deviation of 2.3 μm.

KW - Internal gelation

KW - Microfluidics

KW - Zirconium carbide kernels

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JF - Journal of Nuclear Materials

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ER -

Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this

Production of 28 μm zirconium carbide kernels using the internal gelation process and microfluidics