https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2015-02490-y
Regular Article
Porous metal oxide microspheres from ion exchange resin
1 CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, Radiochemistry and Processes Department, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
2 CEA, Nuclear Energy Division, Fuel Cycle Technology Department, 30207 Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
3 Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, SIMAP, 38000 Grenoble, France
4 Heterogeneous Materials Research Group, Centre Européen de la Céramique, 87068 Limoges, France
5 Institut Européen des Membranes, CNRS-ENSCM-UM2, CC47, University Montpellier 2, 34095 Montpellier, France
a e-mail: sebastien.picart@cea.fr
Received: 18 December 2014
Revised: 21 May 2015
Published online: 30 July 2015
This study is devoted to the synthesis and the characterization of porous metal oxide microsphere from metal loaded ion exchange resin. Their application concerns the fabrication of uranium-americium oxide pellets using the powder-free process called Calcined Resin Microsphere Pelletization (CRMP). Those mixed oxide ceramics are one of the materials envisaged for americium transmutation in sodium fast neutron reactors. The advantage of such microsphere precursor compared to classical oxide powder is the diminution of the risk of fine dissemination which can be critical for the handling of highly radioactive powders such as americium based oxides and the improvement of flowability for the filling of compaction chamber. Those millimetric oxide microspheres incorporating uranium and americium were synthesized and characterizations showed a very porous microstructure very brittle in nature which occurred to be adapted to shaping by compaction. Studies allowed to determine an optimal heat treatment with calcination temperature comprised between 700–800 ∘C and temperature rate lower than 2 ∘C/min. Oxide Precursors were die-pressed into pellets and then sintered under air to form regular ceramic pellets of 95% of theoretical density (TD) and of homogeneous microstructure. This study validated thus the scientific feasibility of the CRMP process to prepare bearing americium target in a powder free manner.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2015
