Metallurgical considerations for the fabrication of low-enriched uranium dispersion targets with a high density for Mo-99 production

Abstract

"It is necessary to develop high-uranium-density targets with low enriched uranium in order to improve Mo-99 production efficiency. In order to investigate the use of high density low enriched uranium (LEU) dispersion targets using atomized U-Al alloy powder, U-10 wt% Al and U-20 wt% Al powders were fabricated by centrifugal atomization. Metallurgical reactions between uranium and aluminum during the hot working were investigated in order to minimize changes in the established chemical processes for Mo-99 extraction. It is concluded that LEU based dispersion target plates with increased uranium density can be fabricated by controlling the chemical reactions between U and Al in atomized U-Al alloy powders."