Fabrication and hydrogen generation reaction with water vapor of prototypic pebbles of binary beryllides as advanced neutron multiplier

Abstract

Advanced neutron multipliers such as beryllides with high stability at high temperatures are desired for demonstration power plant (DEMO) reactors. Prototypic pebbles 1mm in diameter of single phase Be12Ti beryllide were successfully fabricated by a combination process involving plasma sintering, a rotating electrode method, and a homogenization treatment. Relative to the non-treated, multi-phase pebbles, the homogenized Be12Ti pebbles demonstrated an increased reactivity because the homogenization treatment caused an increase in the specific surface area of the treated pebbles. To prevent increased hydrogen generation, prototypic Be17Ti2 pebbles were successfully fabricated without homogenization. The Be17Ti2 prototypic pebbles where shown to have a good oxidation resistance.