MANUFACTURE OF LITHIUM OXIDE MICRO BALL FOR BREEDING TRITIUM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the sintering characteristic of Li2 O micro balls and reduce the manufacturing cost by shortening the heat decomposition time of Li2 CO3 in a method of manufacturing Li2 O micro balls for breeding tritium. SOLUTION: A large number of micro fibrous compounds evaporated and scattered by heating are added and uniformly dispersed in a drip stock solution with Li2 CO3 powder mixed in a gel medium. Gel balls containing Li2 CO3 are manufactured from this drip stock solution, and the gel balls containing Li2 CO3 are subjected to heat treatment. The gel medium and the fibrous compounds are therefore evaporated and scattered to form micro balls of Li2 CO3 , and pores communicating from the interior to the exterior through the surface of the ball are formed in the micro balls of Li2 CO3 by evaporation and scattering of the fibrous compounds. The micro balls of Li2 CO3 with pores are heat- decomposed to obtain micro balls of Li2 O.