Thoria-urania powders prepared via bulk microwave denitration

Abstract

Bulk microwave denitration is a candidate method for preparing thoria-urania powders from nitrate solutions in a remote environment. The characteristics of thoria-urania powders denitrated in a kitchen-type microwave oven, and then modified by heat treatment and wet stirred-ball milling, are examined. It is demonstrated that high quality pellets, with geometric densities of over 96% of theoretical, can be produced when the correct combination of particle and crystallite size is achieved. The viability of microwave denitration is also discussed.