Improvements in or relating to oxides of uranium containing non-stoichiometric amounts of uranium and oxygen

摘要

Uranium oxide compositions which are sinterable at the temperatures at which non-stoichiometric uranium oxides of composition in the range UO2,02 to UO2,3 sinter, are formed by mixing together 5 to 45% by weight of U3O8 and 95 to 55% by weight of UO2 and subsequently densifying and sintering the mixture. The mixture may be denisified by ball-milling in an elastomer lined mill and then granulated by tumbling. The granules may be cold compressed and sintered at 1200 DEG to 1500 DEG C. in an atmosphere of an inert gas, e.g. argon.ALSO:Uranium oxide compositions which are sinterable at the temperatures at which nonstoichiometric uranium oxides of composition in the range UO2.02 to UO 2.3 sinter, are formed by mixing together 5 to 45% by weight of U3O8 and 95 to 55% by weight of UO2 and subsequently densifying and sintering the mixture. The mixture may be densified by ball-milling in an elastomer lined mill and then granulated by tumbling. The granules may be cold compressed and sintered at 1200 DEG to 1500 DEG C. in an atmosphere of an inert gas, e.g. argon.