Integral Material Studies of Nuclear Fuel at Institute of Reactor Materials

Survey information on integral material studies of advanced fuel compositions performed at the Institute of Reactor Materials over a period of 50 years is presented. The influence of the reactor testing conditions on the radiation resistance of different forms of nuclear fuel was investigated: oxide, carbide, nitride, carbosulfide, and some of their compounds. Uranium oxides possessed a different initial microstructure and were doped with the oxides Y 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , Sc 2 O 3 , and others. Carbide fuel was tested in the form of solid solutions of uranium carbide with Zr, Nb, and Ta carbides. The dimensional, phase, and structural stability of fuel compositions were studied in hot boxes; the electrophysical and mechanical properties, such as strength in compression and bending, Young’s modulus, the shear modulus, and Poisson’s ratio were investigated. The experimental data on the radiation resistance of advanced fuel compositions formed the basis for the validation of the serviceability of different nuclear reactors.