Abstract
AbstractZrO2 microspheres are widely used as a simulant of UO2 in the development of nuclear fuel. However, the cracking of ZrO2 microspheres prepared by internal gelation is still a challenge during drying and sintering processes. To address this issue, we designed and optimized the washing process for obtaining crack‐free ZrO2 microspheres. Through thermogravimetric, infrared, Raman, BET, and SEM analysis, it is shown that the cracking of the microspheres is mainly related to the pores in microspheres. The washing solvent with low surface tension is used to reduce the effect of capillary force on pore shrinkage. Therefore, the optimal washing process was designed as trichloroethylene (TCE)—0.5 M NH3.H2O—Propylene glycol methyl ether (PM) and gel microspheres with a high specific surface area of 315.3 m2/g and pore volume of 0.4125 cm3/g were obtained. The characterizations also further showed that when the microspheres were dried and sintered, the water vapor and the decomposition gas of organic matter were completely released from the pores in the microspheres. Our new washing process could be directly extended for preparing crack‐free ceramic microspheres by internal gelation.
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