Sol-gel Micro- Mini-Sphere Development
The Advanced Fuels Campaign ceramic fuels R&D effort, within The Department of Energy Fuel Cycle R&D Program, has undertaken an R&D approach that integrates fundamental R&D on ceramic fuel feedstock, fuel fabrication development, and separate effects irradiation testing. The goal is to achieve a fundamental understanding of the inter-relationships that exist between nuclear fuel materials properties, processing, and performance. In parallel with this type of basic research, it is important to advance the state of the art with respect to processing of nuclear fuel materials that must be handled in a controlled environment. Toward that end, it is important to consider ways to minimize processing losses associated with the synthesis and fabrication of nuclear fuel. One option may be to transition away from the standard powder-type fuel synthesis and pellet fabrication process and to use flowable, near-dustless spherical particles that can be pressed directly into pellets thus avoiding the use of dust generating milling and blending processes.