ALD coating of nuclear fuel actinides materials

A sintered nuclear fuel pellet, wherein said pellet includes particles of fuel, wherein each of the particles comprises a uranium containing moiety,

• wherein the uranium containing moiety is selected from the group consisting of uranium nitrides, uranium carbides, uranium-zirconium hydrides, uranium-molybdenum alloys, and combinations thereof,
• wherein said pellet includes an atomic layer deposition (ALD) provided coating on the particles,
• wherein the coating comprises at least one layer of material,
• wherein the at least one layer is about 1 nm to about 4 nm thick,
• wherein the at least one layer of material is a metal-containing compound selected from the group consisting of alumina, zirconium oxide, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium nitride, zirconium hydride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, zirconium, molybdenum, silicon, gadolinium oxide, titanium nitride, calcium oxide, and combinations thereof, and
• wherein the at least one layer of the material substantially surrounds each particle before and after the particles have been sintered.