Micro-Structures of Sintered Uranium Dioxide Pellets

Distribution of uranium in rats implanted with depleted uranium pellets.

During the Persian Gulf War, soldiers were injured with depleted uranium (DU) fragments. To assess the potential health risks associated with chronic exposure to DU, Sprague Dawley rats were surgically implanted with DU pellets at 3 dose levels (low, medium and high). Biologically inert tantalum (Ta) pellets were used as controls. At 1 day and 6, 12, and 18 months after implantation, the rats w...

Configurational analysis of uranium-doped thorium dioxide

While thorium dioxide is already used industrially in high temperature applications, more insight is needed about the behaviour of the material as part of a mixed-oxide (MOX) nuclear fuel, incorporating uranium. We have developed a new interatomic potential model, commensurate with a prominent existing UO2 potential, to conduct configurational analyses of uranium-doped ThO2 supercells. Using th...

Molten uranium dioxide structure and dynamics.

Uranium dioxide (UO2) is the major nuclear fuel component of fission power reactors. A key concern during severe accidents is the melting and leakage of radioactive UO2 as it corrodes through its zirconium cladding and steel containment. Yet, the very high temperatures (>3140 kelvin) and chemical reactivity of molten UO2 have prevented structural studies. In this work, we combine laser heating,...

SupercriticalCarbon Dioxide Micro-Bubble

Advances in the apptication of supercritical (SC), gaseous (G), and ]iquid (LQ) C02 hayc been made regarding the interaction with biological materials or organisms. There are sevcral reports dealing with the influences of SC, G, and LQ C02 on proteins,i'2) amino acids,i) enzymes,3'S) and microbial eells.b'7) Kamihara et aL have described that wet cells (water content of 70-90g,h) of baker's yea...

Mathematical Modeling of Fluorination Reaction of Uranium Dioxide and Evaluation of Existing Gas-Solid Reaction Models