Single walled carbon nanotube-based slurry for improved nuclear fuel cladding coatings and method of fabrication of same
AssigneeAtomic Energy of Canada Limited/éNergie Atomique Du Canada LimitéE
InventorGERMAN COTA-SANCHEZ
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Abstract
A nuclear fuel element for use in a nuclear reactor may include a plurality of metal fuel sheaths extending along a longitudinal fuel element axis and spaced apart from each other, the plurality of fuel sheaths comprising a first fuel sheath having an inner surface, an opposing outer surface and a hollow interior configured to receive nuclear fuel material. A carbon coating may be on the inner surface of the first fuel sheath. The carbon coating may include more than 99.0% wt of a carbon material including more than 20% wt of carbon nanotubes and less than about 0.01% wt of organic contaminants.
Claims20
A method of producing a carbon slurry, the method comprising
- a) dispersing a powdered carbon material into a first solvent to form a first interim-mixture;
- b) dissolving a binder material into a second solvent to form a second interim-mixture;
- c) combining the first interim-mixture with the second interim-mixture to form a third-interim mixture;
- and
- d) after performing step c) adding at least one of a dilutent, a surfactant and an emulsion stabilizer to the third-interim mixture to form the carbon slurry.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.