Direct carbothermic reduction of actinide oxalates: Example of Nd(III) oxalate-carbon mixtures conversion

作者：Handschuh A^*; Dubois S; Vaudez S; Grandjean S; Leturcq G; Abraham F

来源：Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 385(1): 186-188.

DOI：10.1016/j.jnucmat.2008.10.040

Mixed uranium-plutonium monocarbide was obtained by carbothermic reduction of mixture Of UO(2), PuO(2) and C at around 1500 degrees C under vacuum or argon for 4 h followed by sintering at around 1650 degrees C under mixture of Ar + 8%H(2) for 10 h. Moreover, PuO(2) was synthesized by oxalic precipitation followed by calcination at around 700 degrees C (PUREX process). This work deals with a process simplification, i.e. fabrication of carbide by calcination of actinide oxalate, precipitated in presence of carbon, at 1600 degrees C for 13 h under argon. In this preliminary study, neodymium was used as a surrogate of actinides. No carbon influence was noticed during calcination of neodymium oxalate into oxide. Carbon content was the same before and after calcination making possible conversion to carbide directly from mixture of neodymium oxalate and C.

• 出版日期2009-3-15
• 单位中国地震局