Refractory metals nuclear application

DiStefano, J. R. and DeVan, J. H., Refluxing Capsule Experiment with Refractory Metals and Boiling Alkali Metals, Nuclear Applications Technology, Vol. 8, January 1970, pp. 29-44. 

CSC atomization was developed by AEA Harwell Laboratories in the UK in the early 1970 s. Initially, the CSC process was used for the atomization of refractory and oxide materials such as alumina, plutonium oxides, and uranium monocarbide in nuclear fuel applications. Since it is well-suited to the atomization of reactive metals/alloys or those subject to segregation, the CSC process has been applied to a variety of materials such as iron, cobalt, nickel, and titanium alloys and many refractory metals. The process also has potential to scale up to a continuous process. 

Hafnium is used in control rods for nuclear reactors. It has high resistance to radiation and also very high corrosion resistance. Another major application is in alloys with other refractory metals, such as, tungsten, niobium and tantalum. 

When rhenium is added to other refractory metals, such as molybdenum and tungsten, ductility and tensile strength are improved. These improvements persist even after heating above the rccrystallization temperature. An excellent example is the. complete, ductility shown by a molybdenum-rhenium fusion weld. Rhenium and rhenium alloys have gained some acceptance in semiconductor, thermocouple, and nuclear reactor applications. The alloys also axe used in gyroscopes, miniature rockets, electrical contacts, electronic-tube components, and thermionic converters. 

W.R. Holman, FJ. Huegel, CVD tungsten and tungsten-rhenium alloys for structural applications part I - process development, in Proceedings of the Conference on Chemical Vapor Deposition of Refractory Metals, Alloys and Compounds, American Nuclear Society, 1967, p. 127. 

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