University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc

Ghatu Subhash

Ronald Howard Baney

James S Tulenko

Edward McKenna, Iii

Lihao Ge

Sunghwan Yeo

Richard George Blair

Wilburn Whittington

Bruce A Welt

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for production of a nuclear fuel pellet by spark plasma sintering (SPS), wherein a fuel pellet with more than 80% TD or more than 90% TD is formed. The SPS can be performed with the imposition of a controlled uniaxial pressure applied at the maximum temperature of the processing to achieve a very high density, in excess of 95% TD, at temperatures of 850 to 1600° C. The formation of a fuel pellet can be carried out in one hour or less. In an embodiment of the invention, a nuclear fuel pellet comprises UOand a highly thermally conductive material, such as SiC or diamond.

High density UOand high thermal conductivity UOcomposites by spark plasma sintering (SPS)

The present disclosure relates to compact waveguide impact devices. One example includes a branching compact mechanical waveguide that has at least one input impact location and at least one input impact location output impact point. The compact waveguide impact device also includes at least one input impact component. A controller device activates the at least one input impact component to strike the at least one input impact location according to an input impact pattern, thereby producing a desired output impact pattern.

Compact mechanical waveguides for impact devices

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for production of a nuclear fuel pellet by spark plasma sintering (SPS), wherein a fuel pellet with more than 80% TD or more than 90% TD is formed. The SPS can be performed with the imposition of a controlled uniaxial pressure applied at the maximum temperature of the processing to achieve a very high density, in excess of 95% TD, at temperatures of 850 to 1600&#xb0; C. The formation of a fuel pellet can be carried out in one hour or less. In an embodiment of the invention, a nuclear fuel pellet comprises UOand a highly thermally conductive material, such as SiC or diamond.

High density UO2 and high thermal conductivity UO2 composites by spark plasma sintering (SPS)

A super-hard material is a late transition metal doped BC ceramic. The lightweight ceramics can display Vickers Hardness in excess of 45 GPa. Transition metals, such as Ni, Co, Rh, and Pd can be doped into the boron carbide at levels up to about 2.5%. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) of an evacuated powder of BC and the transition metal at temperatures up to 2000&#xb0; C., and pressures of up to about 100 GPa forms a super-hard material as a body. The late transition metal doped BC ceramic can be used for armor, grinding materials, thermoelectric materials, and catalysts.

Synthesis and processing of ultra high hardness boron carbide

Testing methods and equipment are provided for fast, non-destructive testing of the quality of seal and/or integrity of a package. According to certain embodiments, dynamic impact characterization is used to determine whether a loss of pressure due to a leak in the package occurs. The methods and equipment can be used in-line with product packaging processes. According to one embodiment, an initial pressure is applied to a package under test. A region of the package is impacted with a force sufficient to create a disturbance to the package while not destroying the package by using an impacting rod. Force sensors/transducers contact with the package and spaced a distance away from the impact region of the package detect a force signature from the impact. The existence of a leak is determined by evaluating the force signature.

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Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Ghatu Subhash