A sintered nuclear body and the production thereof

摘要

Gadolinia-doped nuclear oxide material pellets have the gadolinia free and undissolved in the nuclear oxide material to improve the thermal conductivity of the body. The pellets may be made by mixing together gadolinia and nuclear oxide material, shaping the mixture, and subsequently heating the shaped mixture to a sintering temperature. The heating and duration at the sintering temperature and the environment in which the sintering is performed are selected to inhibit the dissolution of the gadolinia in the nuclear oxide material. Aluminium oxide may also be present in the pellets.