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Conference Article: Oxidation behaviour of the matrix materials

Qiu Xueliang; He Jun; Ma Changwen (Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Inst. of Nuclear Energy Technology); Zhang Shichao (Beijing Univ. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Beijing (China). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering)

Abstract

The oxidation kinetics of the three main components of the graphite matrix. Nuclear grade natural graphite, petroleum coke graphite and carbon derived from thermoplastic formaldehyde resin. Were studied in a flowing gas mixture of oxygen and nitrogen, or in a flowing Argon containing 1 vol % H2O. It is shown that the oxidation rate increases in the order of the petroleum coke graphite, the natural graphite, and the resin carbon. High temperature vacuum treatment of the natural graphite at 1950 deg. C decreases the impurities and increases the oxidation activation energy. Differences between the activation energy and the oxidation rate of the resin carbon heat-treated at 1950 and 1600 deg. C is resulted form the changes in the micro-pore texture and reduction of impurities.

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key words: Gas Cooled Reactor, Nuclear Technology
Reference:
Specialists meeting on graphite moderator lifecycle behaviour. Bath (United Kingdom). 24-27 Sep 1995.
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
IAEA-TECDOC--901, pp:351-362