An analytical expression is obtained for calculating the theoretical density of a stoichiometric, equilibrium, solid solution of the type U1–y R y O2 for uranium-gadolinium and uranium-erbium oxide fuel with different initial Gd2O3 or Er2O3 content. It is shown that the theoretical density of oxide fuel, containing a rare-earth oxide of the type R2O3, determined on the basis of the x-ray density is 0.03 g/cm3 higher and 0.02 g/cm3 lower than the computed density of (U, Gd)O2 and (U, Er)O2, respectively. It is found that the density of sintered uranium-gadolinium oxide pellets with an equilibrium solid solution of the type (U, Gd)O2 is 96–98% with initial Gd2O3 mass fraction to 3.35% of the theoretical value and 98–99% with 5% and higher.
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Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 113, No. 6, pp. 344–347, December, 2012.
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Fedotov, A.V., Mikheev, E.N., Lysikov, A.V. et al. Theoretical and experimental density of (U, Gd)O2 and (U, Er)O2 . At Energy 113, 429–434 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-013-9657-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10512-013-9657-3