Process to minimize cracking of pyrolytic carbon coatings
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Energy Research and Development Administration
InventorsWalter J. Lackey, Jr., John D. Sease
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Carbon-coated microspheroids useful as fuels in nuclear reactors are produced with a low percentage of cracked coatings and are imparted increased strength and mechanical stability characteristics by annealing immediately after the carbon coating processes.
Claims4
In a process for producing nuclear fuel comprising microspheroidal particles of a fissile or fertile nuclear material coated with a carbon buffer layer and a dense pyrolytic carbon layer, said process comprising the steps of coating said microspheroidal particles with said buffer layer and said pyrolytic carbon layer;
- the improvement comprising the step of annealing at a temperature within the range of 1600.degree.-2000.degree. C. for a time at least 1-60 minutes yet insufficient to graphitize said pyrolytic carbon layer, said annealing step being carried out immediately after coating said dense pyrolytic carbon layer without cooling prior to said step of annealing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.