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Article
Thermal Properties of Hfn-Mow Surrogate Cermet Fuel for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion
Journal of the American Ceramic Society
  • James F. Mudd
  • Jeremy Lee Watts, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Jhonathan Rosales
  • Ryan P. Wilkerson
  • Brian Taylor
  • William Fahrenholtz, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Gregory Hilmas, Missouri University of Science and Technology
  • Joseph T. Graham, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Abstract

The thermal properties of MoW-HfN, a surrogate cermet for MoW-UN nuclear thermal propulsion fuel, were characterized over a wide range of elevated temperatures. Thermal diffusivity, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and heat capacity were measured. Optical and scanning electron microscopy were performed to characterize the microstructure and draw structure–property correlations. The thermal diffusivity was obtained using the laser flash method. Diffusivity values ranged from about 0.18 cm2/s at 200°C to 0.15 cm2/s at 1800°C. The CTE was measured using push-rod dilatometry up to 1600°C, giving values between 6.0 and 9.0 μm/m. A scientific rationalization of the effective material properties is made using the rule-of-mixtures and other effective properties models.

Department(s)
Materials Science and Engineering
Second Department
Nuclear Engineering and Radiation Science
Comments
Marshall Space Flight Center, Grant 80NSSC20M0172
Keywords and Phrases
  • Cermets,
  • Nitrides,
  • Nuclear Fuel,
  • Nuclear Thermal Propulsion,
  • Thermal Properties
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 2023 Wiley, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
3-1-2023
Publication Date
01 Mar 2023
Disciplines
Citation Information
James F. Mudd, Jeremy Lee Watts, Jhonathan Rosales, Ryan P. Wilkerson, et al.. "Thermal Properties of Hfn-Mow Surrogate Cermet Fuel for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion" Journal of the American Ceramic Society Vol. 106 Iss. 3 (2023) p. 2000 - 2007 ISSN: 1551-2916; 0002-7820
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/greg-hilmas/307/