Low temperature route to uranium nitride

US7582232B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• United States Department of Energy · US

Inventors

• Anthony K. Burrell · Los Alamos, US
• Alfred P. Sattelberger · Los Alamos, US
• Charles Yeamans · Berkeley, US
• Thomas Hartmann · Friedland, DE
• G. W. Chinthaka Silva · Las Vegas, US
• Gary Cerefice · Henderson, US
• Kenneth R. Czerwinski · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 24, 2007
• Grant date: Sep 1, 2009
• Expiry date: Jan 30, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E30/30
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of preparing an actinide nitride fuel for nuclear reactors is provided. The method comprises the steps of a) providing at least one actinide oxide and optionally zirconium oxide; b) mixing the oxide with a source of hydrogen fluoride for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to convert the oxide to a fluoride salt; c) heating the fluoride salt to remove water; d) heating the fluoride salt in a nitrogen atmosphere for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to convert the fluorides to nitrides; and e) heating the nitrides under vacuum and/or inert atmosphere for a period of time sufficient to convert the nitrides to mononitrides.