Application of the UMACS process to highly dense U1−xAmxO2±δ MABB fuel fabrication for the DIAMINO irradiation

The DIAMINO irradiation program aims to assess the influence of Am content and microstructure on He release and fuel swelling for different irradiation temperatures during heterogeneous transmutation in the OSIRIS reactor. Such irradiation programs call for ceramic fuels compliant with strict specifications. In the case of the DIAMINO experiment, Am-bearing blanket fuels with two compositions (U1−xAmxO2±δ (x = 0.075, 0.15)) and two microstructures (dense and porous) were selected, corresponding with four sample sets. Porous samples (<85%TD) were fabricated using a process previously developed for a similar irradiation program while a new dedicated process, UMACS, was developed and applied to produce dense samples. Despite americium presence, this process, based on conventional sintering, produces samples with high density (∼96%TD) close to that usually obtained for UO2. In the case of Minor Actinide Bearing Blankets (MABB), such a result has never been obtained reproducibly even with reactive sintering or impregnation methods.