Distribution of UO₂ particles prepared from variously calcinated U₃O₈ investigated by sedimentation analysis

Abstract

IMRI,!? et al.-SEDIMENTATION ANALYSIS OF UO, PARTICLES over the other repulsive and attractive forces between the particles. The adhesion of the deposit is then much greater than when it depends only on the London-van der Waals attractive forces between the original particles.The size distribution is determined of UO, particles with a specific surface area of 1 to 6 m.2/g., prepared from U,O, by reduction in hydrogen and calcined a t temperatures between 610" and 1000". Of the U,O, and UO,, 90% by wt. was within the particle size range 4 to 90 p. The narrowest spectrum 4 -5 6 p-was found in the product of calcination a t 700" which was-in comparison with all the other samples-easiest to sinter. After being pressed at 2.5 tons/cm.2 and sintered at 1600" the pellets attained a density of 96% of the theoretical. The object of the work was to find a connexion between the physical, physico-chemical and sintering properties of UO,.