Synthesis and sintering of (U0.72Ce0.28)O2 solid solution

Powders of (U0.72Ce0.28)O2 solid solution were synthesized through two different procedures, viz., the gel-combustion technique and a modified co-precipitation procedure. These powders were characterized for residual carbon, X-ray crystallite size, specific surface area, microstructure, size distribution of particles and bulk density. Thermal analysis of the precursors revealed that the decomposition behavior of these powders was influenced by the size of their constituent particles. The powder compaction parameters were optimized. Sinterability of the powders was compared using the density of the products obtained by sintering them (1873 K, 4 h) in reducing atmosphere. Most of the powders obtained in this study could be sintered to a density of about 94–96% TD. The morphology of these sintered pellets was studied using SEM. The pellets derived from the powders obtained through the gel-combustion synthesis comprised fine grains and micropores while those obtained from the co-precipitation technique were found to have larger grains and larger pores.