METHOD FOR PRODUCING SINTERED URANIUM OXIDE Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: sintering uranium oxide. SUBSTANCE: carbon-containing substance or mixture thereof capable of reducing uranium monoxideoxide in the course of thermal pre-treatment is added to uranium monoxide-oxide powder or to mixture of uranium monoxide-oxide and uranium oxides prior to compacting. Substance or mixture of substances introduced as pre-reducers function at the same time as plasticizer and lubricant for press tools in compacting source monoxide-oxide powder. Used as carbon-containing substance or substances are, for instance, glycerin, polyvinyl alcohol solution, polyethylene oxide, or mixture thereof. Thermal pre-treatment includes heating of powders compacted with plasticizer at dynamic vacuum below 20 mm Hg within temperature range of 250 to 260 C until oxygen-to-uranium ratio of at least 2.20 is attained. In the process uranium monoxide-oxide is primarily reduced by decomposition products. Sintering and additional reduction are effected in carbon-containing crucible due to reducing atmosphere formed with aid of crucible carbon. EFFECT: facilitated procedure, reduced consumption of gaseous agents. 4 cl, 3 ex