Preparation of the highly dense ceramic-metal fuel particle with fine-grained tungsten layer by chemical vapor deposition for the application in nuclear thermal propulsion

The cermet fuel element was achieved by dispersing the UO2 particles with or without tungsten (W) coating layer uniformly in the W matrix. It is considered to be a robust and secure fuel for use in nuclear thermal propulsion in the near future. In this study, the effect of deposition temperature on the densification and grain refinement of the W coating layer was investigated. A high-density (19.24 g.cm(-3)) W layer with a uniform thickness (similar to 10 mu m) and fine grains (similar to 297 nm) was prepared by spouted-bed chemical vapor deposition. The prepared high-density, fine-grained W layer has the following advantages. It can prevent direct contact between fuel particles, resulting in a more uniform fuel distribution. In addition, it can decrease the reaction probability between the fuel kernel and H-2, and prevent the release of fission products from the fuel kernel by extending the diffusion path at grain boundaries more efficiently. Moreover, the high-density, fine-grained W layer showed outstanding thermal and mechanical performance. Its average hardness and Young's modulus were approximately 7 and 200 GPa, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the W film was 101-124 W.m(-1).K-1 at 298-773 K. This work furthers our understanding of the potential application of the high-density, fine-grained W layer in nuclear thermal propulsion.