High-temperature oxidation behavior of advanced fuel cladding SiC under various oxygen partial pressures

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26420866
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Nuclear engineering
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Uno Masayoshi 福井大学, 附属国際原子力工学研究所, 教授 (00232885)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 軽水炉被覆管 / 事故耐性燃料 / 炭化ケイ素 / 酸化挙動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

SiC is gaining increasing attention in nuclear fuel cladding applications as a promising fuel cladding. Tounderstand its soundness, the high-temperature oxidation behavior of high-density bulk SiC was investigated in air and vacuum (10 Pa)) and the validity of the experimental results was confirmed by thermodynamic calculations. The high-density bulk SiC was prepared from powder using spark plasma sintering (SPS). Bulk SiC and that in contact with the Al2O3 plate were heat treated in both air and vacuum, at 1573 K and 1773 K. For the samples heat-treated in air, we observed a SiO2 layer on the surface with a thickness of ~1μm and some cracks. Alternatively, a highly porous surface　layer was observed for the samples heat treated in a vacuum. The thicknesses of the SiO2 and porous layers increased with increasing heat-treatment temperature. In addition, it was found that SiC did not react with Al2O3 in　vacuum at 1573 K, but did react at 1773 K.

Free Research Field

核燃料工学