Development, preparation and characterization of uranium molybdenum alloys for dispersion fuel application

Most of the research and test reactors worldwide have undergone core conversion from high enriched uranium base fuel to low enriched uranium base fuel under the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) program, which was launched in the late 1970s to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation. To realize this goal, high density uranium compounds and γ-stabilized uranium alloy powder were identified. In Metallic Fuels Division of BARC, R&D efforts are on to develop these high density uranium base alloys. This paper describes the preparation flow sheet for different compositions of Uranium and molybdenum alloys by an innovative powder processing route with uranium and molybdenum metal powders as starting materials. The same composition of U–Mo alloys were also fabricated by conventional method i.e. ingot metallurgy route. The U–Mo alloys prepared by both the methods were then characterized by XRD for phase analysis. The photomicrographs of alloys with different compositions prepared by powder metallurgy and ingot metallurgy routes are also included in the paper. The paper also covers the comparison of properties of the alloys prepared by powder metallurgy and ingot metallurgy routes.