Effect of composition on thermal conductivity of MgO–Nd2Zr2O7 composites for inert matrix materials

Inert matrix fuels based on magnesium oxide (MgO) as the inert phase have been of historic interest due to its high thermal conductivity. Minor actinide-bearing phases possessing an A2B2O7 pyrochlore structure are also believed to contain a range of favorable attributes, suggesting a possible pairing with MgO to yield a high performance inert matrix fuel. The thermal diffusivity, heat capacity, and thermal expansion of MgO–Nd2Zr2O7 composites were measured from room temperature to 1273 K, where the MgO phase content was varied from 40 to 70 volume percent. The thermal conductivity of each composition was calculated using these results and then compared to widely employed methods to approximate the thermal conductivity of composite materials based upon the properties of the constituent phases. Results suggest that use of either a rule of mixtures or geometric mean approximation for the thermal conductivity of composite systems such as this one would be subject to significant uncertainties when the constituent properties widely differ. A sigmoidal average of the upper and lower Hashin–Shtrikman bounds was found to be in good agreement with the thermal conductivity of the composites as determined experimentally.