This compilation of thermophyical and mechanical properties of certain metallic fuels is meant to be used as a common source of data in work related to the Integral Fast Reactor. Because research on these properties is an ongoing effort, this handbook must be continuously updated in order to provide the best data set to all involved in the IFR program. The use of cornmon source of properties will facilitate comparison of various analyses of fuel behavior performed within the program. It also rvill facilitate uncovering gaps and weaknesses in the data base, and thus enable better direction for future work on experimental properties work.
As part of the U.S. nonproliferation effort, we are investigating the conversion of the production
of fission-product 99Mo from use of high-enriched uranium (HEU) to low-enriched uranium (LEU).
Successful conversion from HEU to LEU (<20% 235U) requires an irradiation target that contains
5 times more uranium but minimizes changes to target geometry and processing. The LEU target
being developed uses thin foils of uranium metal that can be removed from the target hardware
for dissolution and processing. This paper describes our recent successes in target fabrication,
irradiation, and processing. Target fabrication has been improved by (1) heat-treating the
uranium foil to produce a random, small-grain structure and (2) electrodepositing zinc and nickel
fission-fragment barriers onto the foil. These fission-fragment barriers have been found to be
stable during transport of the targets following irradiation. Recent irradiation tests have shown
that the concept is sound. Progress was also made in broadening international cooperation in
our development activities.
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