- [Korean]
- Influence of Powder Particle Size on the Microstructure of UO2 Fuel Pellets with High Gd2O3 Content
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Ji-Hwan Lee, Jae Ho Yang, Ji-Hae Yoon, Dong-Joo Kim, Dong-wook Shin, Dong Seok Kim
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J Powder Mater. 2025;32(4):344-353. Published online August 29, 2025
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4150/jpm.2025.00178
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 Abstract
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- The recent development of small modular reactors (SMRs) and the adoption of higher-enrichment fuels have intensified the need for advanced burnable absorbers to ensure effective reactivity control and extended fuel cycles. Among various designs, UO2 fuels with high Gd2O3 (gadolinium oxide) content provide notable benefits; in particular, they are compatible with established fabrication methods for burnable absorber fuels. However, achieving a homogeneous dispersion of Gd2O3 at high loading levels remains challenging, and the frequent occurrence of phase segregation and non-uniform microstructures can limit fuel reliability and performance. Overcoming these limitations requires an understanding of the powder characteristics and mixing behaviors during fabrication. In this study, we investigate the effects of the initial particle size and mixing method of UO2 and Gd2O3 powders on the microstructure and mixing homogeneity of high-Gd2O3-content fuels. The findings indicate that both the mixing method and the preparation state of the starting powders significantly affect the resulting microstructure and mixing uniformity.
- [Korean]
- Microstructure Observation of the Grain Boundary Phases in ATF UO2 Pellet with Fission Gas Capture-ability
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Sang-Chae Jeon, Dong-Joo Kim, Dong Seok Kim, Keon Sik Kim, Jong Hun Kim
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J Korean Powder Metall Inst. 2020;27(2):119-125. Published online April 1, 2020
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.4150/KPMI.2020.27.2.119
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Abstract
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One of the promising candidates for accident-tolerant fuel (ATF), a ceramic microcell fuel, which can be distinguished by an unusual cell-like microstructure (UO2 grain cell surrounded by a doped oxide cell wall), is being developed. This study deals with the microstructural observation of the constituent phases and the wetting behaviors of the cell wall materials in three kinds of ceramic microcell UO2 pellets: Si-Ti-O (STO), Si-Cr-O (SCO), and Al-Si-Ti-O (ASTO). The chemical and physical states of the cell wall materials are estimated by HSC Chemistry and confirmed by experiment to be mixtures of Si-O and Ti-O for the STO; Si-O and Cr-O for SCO; and Si-O, Ti-O, and Al-Si-O for the ASTO. From their morphology at triple junctions, UO2 grains appear to be wet by the Si-O or Al-Si-O rather than other oxides, providing a benefit on the capture-ability of the ceramic microcell cell wall. The wetting behavior can be explained by the relationships between the interface energy and the contact angle. -
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by  - Thermal diffusion kinetics of cesium in ceramic microcell UO2 fuels for accident-tolerant fuel
Sang-Chae Jeon, Dong-Joo Kim, Dong Seok Kim, Jae-Hwan Yang, Kyoung-Seok Moon
Journal of the European Ceramic Society.2021; 41(13): 6784. CrossRef - Compositional design of an amphoteric chemical trap for the capturing of gaseous cesium and iodine in UO2 nuclear fuel
Sang-Chae Jeon, Dong-Joo Kim, Dong Seok Kim, Jae-Hwan Yang, Kyoung-Seok Moon
Journal of the European Ceramic Society.2021; 41(4): 2892. CrossRef
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