Thermophysical properties of heat-treated U-7Mo/Al dispersion fuel

In this study, the effects of interaction layer (IL) on thermophysical properties of U-7Mo/Al dispersion fuel were examined. Microstructural analyses revealed that ILs were formed uniformly on U-Mo particles during heating of U-7Mo/Al samples. The IL volume fraction was measured by applying image analysis methods. The uranium loadings of the samples were calculated based on the measured meat densities at 298 K. The density of the IL was estimated by using the measured density and IL volume fraction. Thermal diffusivity and heat capacity of the samples after the heat treatment were measured as a function of temperature and volume fractions of U-Mo and IL. The thermal conductivity of IL-formed U-7Mo/Al was derived by using the measured thermal diffusivity, heat capacity, and density. The thermal conductivity obtained in the present study was lower than that predicted by the modified Hashin–Shtrikman model due to the theoretical model's inability to consider the thermal resistance at interfaces between the meat constituents.