Packaging material and flexible medical tubing containing thermally exfoliated graphite oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'homme, Robert K. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A packaging material or flexible medical tubing containing a modified graphite oxide material, which is a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 m.sup.2/g to 2600 m.sup.2/g.

Metal-decored graphites as anode materials for use in lithium-ion accumulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Licht, Bjoern Karl

2015-01-01

Graphitic materials are currently the most frequently used anode materials for lithium ion batteries (LIB). This type of battery is considered to be the ideal application for energy storage in electromobility or in mobile devices that require a high power density. Although intercalated graphite has only about 8 % of the gravimetric energy density of lithium metal, these materials are preferred due to safety reasons. However, by chemical modification of the surface, the electrochemical performance of graphite can be enhanced. In the thesis presented at hand, a novel synthesis route for the preparation of homogenous metal depositions on graphite is shown. The reaction proceeds via a gas phase reaction by the thermal decomposition of metal carboxylates. The decomposition process was analyzed by thermogravimetry and gas phase analysis. In comparison to the unmodified graphite, copper-coated graphite shows in increased capacity and cycle stability when used as anode materials in LIBs. Special emphasis should be placed on an improved adhesion of the active material on the copper current collector. The proven catalytic activity of the metal depositions not only enables a use in battery devices but could also be innovating for catalytic processes such as chlorine-alkali electrolysis.

Ti-doped isotropic graphite: A promising armour material for plasma-facing components

Science.gov (United States)

García-Rosales, C.; López-Galilea, I.; Ordás, N.; Adelhelm, C.; Balden, M.; Pintsuk, G.; Grattarola, M.; Gualco, C.

2009-04-01

Finely dispersed Ti-doped isotropic graphites with 4 at.% Ti have been manufactured using synthetic mesophase pitch 'AR' as raw material. These new materials show a thermal conductivity at room temperature of ˜200 W/mK and flexural strength close to 100 MPa. Measurement of the total erosion yield by deuterium bombardment at ion energies and sample temperatures for which pure carbon shows maximum values, resulted in a reduction of at least a factor of 4, mainly due to dopant enrichment at the surface caused by preferential erosion of carbon. In addition, ITER relevant thermal shock loads were applied with an energetic electron beam at the JUDITH facility. The results demonstrated a significantly improved performance of Ti-doped graphite compared to pure graphite. Finally, Ti-doped graphite was successfully brazed to a CuCrZr block using a Mo interlayer. These results let assume that Ti-doped graphite can be a promising armour material for divertor plasma-facing components.

Ti-doped isotropic graphite: A promising armour material for plasma-facing components

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia-Rosales, C. [CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Paseo de Manuel Lardizabal, 15, E-20018 San Sebastian (Spain)], E-mail: cgrosales@ceit.es; Lopez-Galilea, I.; Ordas, N. [CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Paseo de Manuel Lardizabal, 15, E-20018 San Sebastian (Spain); Adelhelm, C.; Balden, M. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Pintsuk, G. [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, EURATOM Association, D-52425 Juelich (Germany); Grattarola, M.; Gualco, C. [Ansaldo Ricerche S.p.A., I-16152 Genoa (Italy)

2009-04-30

Finely dispersed Ti-doped isotropic graphites with 4 at.% Ti have been manufactured using synthetic mesophase pitch 'AR' as raw material. These new materials show a thermal conductivity at room temperature of {approx}200 W/mK and flexural strength close to 100 MPa. Measurement of the total erosion yield by deuterium bombardment at ion energies and sample temperatures for which pure carbon shows maximum values, resulted in a reduction of at least a factor of 4, mainly due to dopant enrichment at the surface caused by preferential erosion of carbon. In addition, ITER relevant thermal shock loads were applied with an energetic electron beam at the JUDITH facility. The results demonstrated a significantly improved performance of Ti-doped graphite compared to pure graphite. Finally, Ti-doped graphite was successfully brazed to a CuCrZr block using a Mo interlayer. These results let assume that Ti-doped graphite can be a promising armour material for divertor plasma-facing components.

Ti-doped isotropic graphite: A promising armour material for plasma-facing components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Rosales, C.; Lopez-Galilea, I.; Ordas, N.; Adelhelm, C.; Balden, M.; Pintsuk, G.; Grattarola, M.; Gualco, C.

2009-01-01

Finely dispersed Ti-doped isotropic graphites with 4 at.% Ti have been manufactured using synthetic mesophase pitch 'AR' as raw material. These new materials show a thermal conductivity at room temperature of ∼200 W/mK and flexural strength close to 100 MPa. Measurement of the total erosion yield by deuterium bombardment at ion energies and sample temperatures for which pure carbon shows maximum values, resulted in a reduction of at least a factor of 4, mainly due to dopant enrichment at the surface caused by preferential erosion of carbon. In addition, ITER relevant thermal shock loads were applied with an energetic electron beam at the JUDITH facility. The results demonstrated a significantly improved performance of Ti-doped graphite compared to pure graphite. Finally, Ti-doped graphite was successfully brazed to a CuCrZr block using a Mo interlayer. These results let assume that Ti-doped graphite can be a promising armour material for divertor plasma-facing components.

Thermophysical properties estimation of paraffin/graphite composite phase change material using an inverse method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lachheb, Mohamed; Karkri, Mustapha; Albouchi, Fethi; Mzali, Foued; Nasrallah, Sassi Ben

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Preparation of paraffin/graphite composites by uni-axial compression technique. • Measurement of thermophysical properties of paraffin/graphite using the periodic method. • Measurement of the experimental densities of paraffin/graphite composites. • Prediction of the effective thermal conductivity using analytical models. - Abstract: In this paper, two types of graphite were combined with paraffin in an attempt to improve thermal conductivity of paraffin phase change material (PCM): Synthetic graphite (Timrex SFG75) and graphite waste obtained from damaged Tubular graphite Heat Exchangers. These paraffin/graphite phase change material (PCM) composites are prepared by the cold uniaxial compression technique and the thermophysical properties were estimated using a periodic temperature method and an inverse technique. Results showed that the thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are greatly influenced by the graphite addition

Brazing graphite to graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, G.R.

1976-01-01

Graphite is joined to graphite by employing both fine molybdenum powder as the brazing material and an annealing step that together produce a virtually metal-free joint exhibiting properties similar to those found in the parent graphite. Molybdenum powder is placed between the faying surfaces of two graphite parts and melted to form molybdenum carbide. The joint area is thereafter subjected to an annealing operation which diffuses the carbide away from the joint and into the graphite parts. Graphite dissolved by the dispersed molybdenum carbide precipitates into the joint area, replacing the molybdenum carbide to provide a joint of graphite

Effective Thermal Conductivity of Graphite Materials with Cracks

Science.gov (United States)

Pestchaanyi, S. E.; Landman, I. S.

The dependence of effective thermal diffusivity on temperature caused by volumetric cracks is modelled for macroscopic graphite samples using the three-dimensional thermomechanics code Pegasus-3D. At high off-normal heat loads typical of the divertor armour, thermostress due to the anisotropy of graphite grains is much larger than that due to the temperature gradient. Numerical simulation demonstrated that the volumetric crack density both in fine grain graphites and in the CFC matrix depends mainly on the local sample temperature, not on the temperature gradient. This allows to define an effective thermal diffusivity for graphite with cracks. The results obtained are used to explain intense cracking and particle release from carbon based materials under electron beam heat load. Decrease of graphite thermal diffusivity with increase of the crack density explains particle release mechanism in the experiments with CFC where a clear energy threshold for the onset of particle release has been observed in J. Linke et al. Fusion Eng. Design, in press, Bazyler et al., these proceedings. Surface temperature measurement is necessary to calibrate the Pegasus-3D code for simulation of ITER divertor armour brittle destruction.

Quantifying microstructural dynamics and electrochemical activity of graphite and silicon-graphite lithium ion battery anodes

Science.gov (United States)

Pietsch, Patrick; Westhoff, Daniel; Feinauer, Julian; Eller, Jens; Marone, Federica; Stampanoni, Marco; Schmidt, Volker; Wood, Vanessa

2016-09-01

Despite numerous studies presenting advances in tomographic imaging and analysis of lithium ion batteries, graphite-based anodes have received little attention. Weak X-ray attenuation of graphite and, as a result, poor contrast between graphite and the other carbon-based components in an electrode pore space renders data analysis challenging. Here we demonstrate operando tomography of weakly attenuating electrodes during electrochemical (de)lithiation. We use propagation-based phase contrast tomography to facilitate the differentiation between weakly attenuating materials and apply digital volume correlation to capture the dynamics of the electrodes during operation. After validating that we can quantify the local electrochemical activity and microstructural changes throughout graphite electrodes, we apply our technique to graphite-silicon composite electrodes. We show that microstructural changes that occur during (de)lithiation of a pure graphite electrode are of the same order of magnitude as spatial inhomogeneities within it, while strain in composite electrodes is locally pronounced and introduces significant microstructural changes.

Balanced improvement of high performance concrete material properties with modified graphite nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Peyvandi, Amirpasha

Graphite nanomaterials offer distinct features for effective reinforcement of cementitious matrices in the pre-crack and post-crack ranges of behavior. Thoroughly dispersed and well-bonded nanomaterials provide for effective control of the size and propagation of defects (microcracks) in matrix, and also act as closely spaced barriers against diffusion of moisture and aggressive solutions into concrete. Modified graphite nanomaterials can play multi-faceted roles towards enhancing the mechanical, physical and functional attributes of concrete materials. Graphite nanoplatelets (GP) and carbon nanofibers (CNF) were chosen for use in cementitious materials. Experimental results highlighted the balanced gains in diverse engineering properties of high-performance concrete realized by introduction of graphite nanomaterials. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used in order to gain further insight into the effects of nanomaterials on the hydration process and structure of cement hydrates. NMR exploits the magnetic properties of certain atomic nuclei, and the sensitivity of these properties to local environments to generate data which enables determination of the internal structure, reaction state, and chemical environment of molecules and bulk materials. 27 Al and 29Si NMR spectroscopy techniques were employed in order to evaluate the effects of graphite nanoplatelets on the structure of cement hydrates, and their resistance to alkali-silica reaction (ASR), chloride ion diffusion, and sulfate attack. Results of 29Si NMR spectroscopy indicated that the percent condensation of C-S-H in cementitious paste was lowered in the presence of nanoplatelets at the same age. The extent of chloride diffusion was assessed indirectly by detecting Friedel's salt as a reaction product of chloride ions with aluminum-bearing cement hydrates. Graphite nanoplatelets were found to significantly reduce the concentration of Friedel's salt at different depths after various periods

Effect of mechanical treatment on the electrical properties of graphite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yunasfi; Salim Mustofa

2010-01-01

Measurement of electrical properties of graphite materials as the mechanical treatment result with high energy milling (HEM) techniques was carried out. The carbon powder was milled using HEM by varying the milling time from 25 hours to 100 hours, and afterwards the graphite material was formed to a pellet under compaction up to 20 ton/cm"2. The measurements result of electrical properties using LCR (Inductance, Capacitance, Resistance) meter showed that milling process to graphite causes the increasing of conductivity and capacitance values and these values were increasing with the increase of milling times. Before milling, the conductivity value is 3.5976 Siemens/cm and the value of capacitance is 0.2223 μF at 100 kHz frequency. Increasing of conductivity value reached 26 % and capacitance value reached 66 % after milling for 100 hours. These increasing are analyzed due to decreasing of graphite powder particle size causing by longer milling time and result in higher electrical conductivity. (author)

Studies on low-voltage x-ray radiography for graphite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muraoka, Susumu; Itami, Hiroharu

1978-09-01

Low-voltage radiography has been studied to provide optimum technique for graphite less than 50 mm thick. First we determined the exposure conditions under which the most appropriate photographic density can be obtained. By parametric studies, an exposure chart was prepared. Then we studied how the environment of photographing affected the film density. Thirdly, by use of graphite materials with artificial flaws, Image Quality Indicator (I.Q.I.) sensitivity was determined. Detectability of a crack depended on an incidence angle of X-rays onto a crack. Finally, we photographed graphites having natural flaws and gained a useful information. (author)

Studies on the development of special graphite for use in tokamaks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhatia, G.; Aggarwal, R.K.; Saha, M.; Sengupta, P.R.; Mishra, A. [National Physical Lab., New Delhi (India). Carbon Technology Unit

2002-07-01

Special graphite is considered as a critical component of the present-day tokamaks wherein it acts as the armour material for plasma-facing components. This graphite is required to possess, besides other characteristics, high values of bulk density, bending strength and electrical and thermal conductivities and a low value of ash content. Since such graphite was not commercially available in the country, efforts to develop it were initiated at the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi. The basic approach to develop this graphite was based on green coke method of making the high density graphite, wherein the green coke was modified by incorporating in it small amounts of conducting carbon materials, i.e. needle coke, synthetic graphite and natural graphite. The resulting graphites were characterized with respect to various physical characteristics, namely, green density, weight loss, volume shrinkage, linear shrinkage, bulk density, bending strength, Young's modulus and electrical resistivity, etc. The results are described and discussed in the present paper. 6 refs., 2 tabs.

Mechanical property characterization and impact resistance of selected graphite/PEEK composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Donald J.

1994-01-01

To use graphite polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material on highly curved surfaces requires that the material be drapable and easily conformable to the surface. This paper presents the mechanical property characterization and impact resistance results for laminates made from two types of graphite/PEEK materials that will conform to a curved surface. These laminates were made from two different material forms. These forms are: (1) a fabric where each yarn is a co-mingled Celion G30-500 3K graphite fiber and PEEK thermoplastic fiber; and (2) an interleaved material of Celion G30-500 3K graphite fabric interleaved with PEEK thermoplastic film. The experimental results from the fabric laminates are compared with results for laminates made from AS4/PEEK unidirectional tape. The results indicate that the tension and compression moduli for quasi-isotropic and orthotropic laminates made from fabric materials are at least 79 percent of the modulus of equivalent laminates made from tape material. The strength of fabric material laminates is at least 80 percent of laminates made from tape material. The evaluation of fabric material for shear stiffness indicates that a tape material laminate could be replaced by a fabric material laminate and still maintain 89 percent of the shear stiffness of the tape material laminate. The notched quasi-isotropic compression panel failure strength is 42 to 46 percent of the unnotched quasi-isotropic laminate strength. Damage area after impact with 20 ft-lbs of impact energy is larger for the co-mingled panels than for the interleaved panels. The inerleaved panels have less damage than panels made from tape material. Residual compression strength of quasi-isotropic panels after impact of 20 ft-lbs of energy varies between 33 percent of the undamaged quasi-isotropic material strength for the tape material and 38 percent of the undamaged quasi-isotropic material strength for the co-mingled fabric material.

A study on wear behaviour of Al/6101/graphite composites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pardeep Sharma

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The current research work scrutinizes aluminium alloy 6101-graphite composites for their mechanical and tribological behaviour in dry sliding environments. The orthodox liquid casting technique had been used for the manufacturing of composite materials and imperilled to T6 heat treatment. The content of reinforcement particles was taken as 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 wt.% of graphite to ascertain it is prospective as self-lubricating reinforcement in sliding wear environments. Hardness, tensile strength and flexural strength of cast Al6101 metal matrix and manufactured composites were evaluated. Hardness, tensile strength and flexural strength decreases with increasing volume fraction of graphite reinforcement as compared to cast Al6101 metal matrix. Wear tests were performed on pin on disc apparatus to assess the tribological behaviour of composites and to determine the optimum volume fraction of graphite for its minimum wear rate. Wear rate reduces with increase in graphite volume fraction and minimum wear rate was attained at 4 wt.% graphite. The wear was found to decrease with increase in sliding distance. The average co-efficient of friction also reduces with graphite addition and its minimum value was found to be at 4 wt.% graphite. The worn surfaces of wear specimens were studied through scanning electron microscopy. The occurrence of 4 wt.% of graphite reinforcement in the composites can reveal loftier wear possessions as compared to cast Al6101 metal matrix.

Impermeable Graphite: A New Development for Embedding Radioactive Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fachinger, Johannes

2016-01-01

Irradiated graphite has to be handled as radioactive waste after the operational period of the reactor. However, the waste management of irradiated graphite e.g. from the Spanish Vandellos reactor shows, that waste management of even low contaminated graphite could be expensive and requires special retrieval, treatment and disposal technologies for safe long term storage as low or medium radioactive waste. FNAG has developed an impermeable graphite matrix (IGM) as nuclear waste embedding material. This IGM provides a long term stable enclosure of radioactive waste and can reuse irradiated graphite as feedstock material. Therefore, no additional disposal volume is required if e.g. concrete waste packages were replaced by IGM waste packages. The variability of IGM as embedding has been summarized in the following paper usable for metal scraps, ion exchange resins or debris from buildings. Furthermore the main physical, chemical and structural properties are described. (author)

Non-catalyzed cathodic oxygen reduction at graphite granules in microbial fuel cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freguia, Stefano; Rabaey, Korneel; Yuan Zhiguo; Keller, Juerg

2007-01-01

Oxygen is the most sustainable electron acceptor currently available for microbial fuel cell (MFC) cathodes. However, its high overpotential for reduction to water limits the current that can be produced. Several materials and catalysts have previously been investigated in order to facilitate oxygen reduction at the cathode surface. This study shows that significant stable currents can be delivered by using a non-catalyzed cathode made of granular graphite. Power outputs up to 21 W m -3 (cathode total volume) or 50 W m -3 (cathode liquid volume) were attained in a continuous MFC fed with acetate. These values are higher than those obtained in several other studies using catalyzed graphite in various forms. The presence of nanoscale pores on granular graphite provides a high surface area for oxygen reduction. The current generated with this cathode can sustain an anodic volume specific COD removal rate of 1.46 kg COD m -3 d -1 , which is higher than that of a conventional aerobic process. This study demonstrates that microbial fuel cells can be operated efficiently using high surface graphite as cathode material. This implies that research on microbial fuel cell cathodes should not only focus on catalysts, but also on high surface area materials

Non-catalyzed cathodic oxygen reduction at graphite granules in microbial fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freguia, Stefano; Rabaey, Korneel; Yuan, Zhiguo; Keller, Juerg [The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld (Australia). Advanced Wastewater Management Centre

2007-12-01

Oxygen is the most sustainable electron acceptor currently available for microbial fuel cell (MFC) cathodes. However, its high overpotential for reduction to water limits the current that can be produced. Several materials and catalysts have previously been investigated in order to facilitate oxygen reduction at the cathode surface. This study shows that significant stable currents can be delivered by using a non-catalyzed cathode made of granular graphite. Power outputs up to 21 W m{sup -3} (cathode total volume) or 50 W m{sup -3} (cathode liquid volume) were attained in a continuous MFC fed with acetate. These values are higher than those obtained in several other studies using catalyzed graphite in various forms. The presence of nanoscale pores on granular graphite provides a high surface area for oxygen reduction. The current generated with this cathode can sustain an anodic volume specific COD removal rate of 1.46 kg{sub COD} m{sup -3} d{sup -1}, which is higher than that of a conventional aerobic process. This study demonstrates that microbial fuel cells can be operated efficiently using high surface graphite as cathode material. This implies that research on microbial fuel cell cathodes should not only focus on catalysts, but also on high surface area materials. (author)

On the development of standardization methods for measuring the degree of graphitization of industrial materials, correlation of scientific characterization with the industrially relevant secondary properties of graphitic material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzer, E.; Koechling, K.H.

1984-01-01

The completed research roject comprised the development of standardization methods for measuring the degree of graphitization of industrial materials, the testing of characterization methods with regard to significance, the correlation of scientific characterization with industrially relevant material properties and the resultant modification of industrial processes for the manufacture of coke raw materials and graphitic materials. Also targeted within the scope of this project were the grouping of comparable characterization methods and the drawing up of unequivocal terminology for scientific and industrial-commercial usage, with both aims based on intensified national and international teamwork. (orig./WL) [de

Deuterium pumping and erosion behavior of selected graphite materials under high flux plasma bombardment in PISCES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirooka, Y.; Conn, R.W.; Goebel, D.M.; LaBombard, B.; Lehmer, R.; Leung, W.K.; Nygren, R.E.; Ra, Y.

1988-06-01

Deuterium plasma recycling and chemical erosion behavior of selected graphite materials have been investigated using the PISCES-A facility. These materials include: Pyro-graphite; 2D-graphite weave; 4D-graphite weave; and POCO-graphite. Deuterium plasma bombardment conditions are: fluxes around 7 /times/ 10 17 ions s/sup /minus/1/cm/sup /minus/2/; exposure time in the range from 10 to 100 s; bombarding energy of 300 eV; and graphite temperatures between 20 and 120/degree/C. To reduce deuterium plasma recycling, several approaches have been investigated. Erosion due to high-fluence helium plasma conditioning significantly increases the surface porosity of POCO-graphite and 4D-graphite weave whereas little change for 2D-graphite weave and Pyro-graphite. The increased pore openings and refreshed in-pore surface sites are found to reduce the deuterium plasma recycling and chemical erosion rates at transient stages. The steady state recycling rates for these graphite materials can be also correlated to the surface porosity. Surface topographical modification by machined-grooves noticeably reduces the steady state deuterium recycling rate and the impurity emission from the surface. These surface topography effects are attributed to co-deposition of remitted deuterium, chemically sputtered hydrocarbon and physically sputtered carbon under deuterium plasma bombardment. The co-deposited film is found to have a characteristic surface morphology with dendritic microstructures. 18 ref., 4 figs., 1 tab

Determination of chlorine in graphite by combustion-ion chromatography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Lianzhong; Watanabe, Kazuo; Itoh, Mitsuo.

1995-09-01

A combustion/ion chromatographic method has been studied for the sensitive determination of chlorine in graphite. A graphite sample was burnt at 900degC in a silica reaction tube at an oxygen flow rate of 200 ml/min. Chlorine evolved was absorbed in 20 ml of a 0.1 mM sodium carbonate solution. The solution was evaporated to dryness. The residue was dissolved with a small volume of water. Chlorine in the solution was determined using ion chromatography. The method was applied to JAERI graphite certified reference materials and practical graphite materials. The detection limit was about 0.8 μgCl/g for a 2.0 g sample. The precision was about 2.5% (relative standard deviation) for samples with chlorine content of 70 μg/g level. The method is also usable for coal samples. (author)

A reliable and consistent production technology for high volume compacted graphite iron castings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Jincheng

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The demands for improved engine performance, fuel economy, durability, and lower emissions provide a continual challenge for engine designers. The use of Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI has been established for successful high volume series production in the passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle and industrial power sectors over the last decade. The increased demand for CGI engine components provides new opportunities for the cast iron foundry industry to establish efficient and robust CGI volume production processes, in China and globally. The production window range for stable CGI is narrow and constantly moving. Therefore, any one step single addition of magnesium alloy and the inoculant cannot ensure a reliable and consistent production process for complicated CGI engine castings. The present paper introduces the SinterCast thermal analysis process control system that provides for the consistent production of CGI with low nodularity and reduced porosity, without risking the formation of flake graphite. The technology is currently being used in high volume Chinese foundry production. The Chinese foundry industry can develop complicated high demand CGI engine castings with the proper process control technology.

A Simulation Model for Tensile Fracture Procedure Analysis of Graphite Material based on Damage Evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Erqiang; Ma Shaopeng; Wang Hongtao

2014-01-01

Graphite material is generally easy to be damaged by the widely distributed micro-cracks when subjects to load. For numerically analyzing of the structure made of graphite material, the influences of the degradation of the material in damaged areas need to be considered. In this paper, an axial tension test method is proposed to obtain the dynamic damage evolution rule of the material. Using the degradation rule (variation of elastic modulus), the finite element model is then constructed to analyze the tensile fracture process of the L-shaped graphite specimen. An axial tension test of graphite is performed to obtain the stress-strain curve. Based on the variation of the measured curve, the damage evolution rule of the material are fitted out. A simulation model based on the above measured results is then constructed on ABAQUS by user subroutine. Using this simulation model, the tension failure process of L-shaped graphite specimen with fillet are simulated. The calculated and experimental results on fracture load are in good agreement. The damage simulation model based on the stress-strain curve of axial tensile test can be used in other tensile fracture analysis. (author)

New graphite/salt materials for high temperature energy storage. Phase change properties study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, J.

2007-07-01

This work is a contribution to the study of new graphite/salt composites dedicated to high temperature energy storage (≥200 C). The aim is to analyse and to understand the influence of both graphite and composite microstructure on the phase change properties of salts. This PhD is carried out within the framework of two projects: DISTOR (European) and HTPSTOCK (French). The major contributions of this work are threefold: 1) An important database (solid-liquid phase change properties) is provided from the DSC analysis of six salts and the corresponding composites. 2) Rigorous modeling of salts melting in confined media in several geometries are proposed to understand why, during the first melting of the compression elaborated composites, problems of salt leakage are observed. These models show that the materials morphology is responsible for these phenomena: the graphite matrix restrains the volume expansion due to salt melting: salt melts under pressure, which leads to a melting on a large temperature range and to a loss of energy density. Sensitivity analysis of parameters (geometric and physic) shows that matrix rigidity modulus is the parameter on which it is necessary to act during the composites elaboration to blur this phenomenon. 3) Finally, this work proposes a thermodynamic formulation of both surface/interface phenomena and the presence of dissolved impurities being able to explain a melting point lowering. It seems that the melting point lowering observed (∼ 5 C) are mainly due to the presence of dissolved impurities (brought by graphite) in the liquid, along with an additional Gibbs-Thomson effect (∼ 1 C, related to the size of the clusters crystals). (author)

Structural disorder of graphite and implications for graphite thermometry

Science.gov (United States)

Kirilova, Martina; Toy, Virginia; Rooney, Jeremy S.; Giorgetti, Carolina; Gordon, Keith C.; Collettini, Cristiano; Takeshita, Toru

2018-02-01

Graphitization, or the progressive maturation of carbonaceous material, is considered an irreversible process. Thus, the degree of graphite crystallinity, or its structural order, has been calibrated as an indicator of the peak metamorphic temperatures experienced by the host rocks. However, discrepancies between temperatures indicated by graphite crystallinity versus other thermometers have been documented in deformed rocks. To examine the possibility of mechanical modifications of graphite structure and the potential impacts on graphite thermometry, we performed laboratory deformation experiments. We sheared highly crystalline graphite powder at normal stresses of 5 and 25 megapascal (MPa) and aseismic velocities of 1, 10 and 100 µm s-1. The degree of structural order both in the starting and resulting materials was analyzed by Raman microspectroscopy. Our results demonstrate structural disorder of graphite, manifested as changes in the Raman spectra. Microstructural observations show that brittle processes caused the documented mechanical modifications of the aggregate graphite crystallinity. We conclude that the calibrated graphite thermometer is ambiguous in active tectonic settings.

Erosion of CFC, pyrolytic and boronated graphite under short pulsed laser irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraaij, G.J.; Bakker, J.; Stad, R.C.L. van der

1992-07-01

The effect of short pulsed laser irradiation of '0/3' ms and up to 10 MJ/m 2 on different types of carbon base materials is described. These materials are investigated as candidate protection materials for the Plasma Facing Components of NET/ITER. These materials are: carbon fibre composite graphite, pyrolytic graphite and boronated graphite. The volume of the laser induced craters was measured with an optical topographic scanner, and these data are evaluated with a simple model for the erosion. As a results, the enthalpy of ablation is estimated as 30±3 MJ/kg. A comparison is made with finite element numerical calculations, and the effect of lateral heat transfer is estimated using an analytical model. (author). 8 refs., 23 figs., 4 tabs

Preparation and characterization of stearic acid/expanded graphite composites as thermal energy storage materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Guiyin; Li, Hui; Chen, Zhi; Liu, Xu

2010-01-01

Stearic acid/expanded graphite composites with different mass ratios were prepared by absorbing liquid stearic acid into the expanded graphite. In the composite materials, the stearic acid was used as the phase change material for thermal energy storage, and the expanded graphite acted as the supporting material. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and thermal diffusivity measurement were used to determine the chemical structure, crystalline phase, microstructure and thermal diffusivity of the composites, respectively. The thermal properties and thermal stability were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. The thermal analysis results indicated that the materials exhibited the same phase transition characteristics as the stearic acid and their latent heats were approximately the same as the values calculated based on the weight fraction of the stearic acid in the composites. The microstructural analysis results showed that the stearic acid was well absorbed in the porous network of the expanded graphite, and there was no leakage of the stearic acid from the composites even when it was in the molten state.

Graphite and carbonaceous materials in a molten salt nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rousseau, Ginette; Lecocq, Alfred; Hery, Michel.

1982-09-01

A project for a molten salt 1000 MWe reactor is studied by EDF-CEA teams. The design provides for a chromesco 3 vessel housing graphite structures in which the salt circulates. The salt (Th, U, Be and Li fluorides) is cooled by direct contact with lead. The graphites and carbonated materials, inert with respect to lead and the fuel salt, are being considered not only as moderators, but as reflectors and in the construction of the sections where the heat exchange takes place. On the basis of the problems raised in the operation of the reactor, a study programme on French experimental materials (Le Carbone Lorraine, SERS, SEP) has been defined. Hence, depending on the function or functions that the material is to ensure in the structure, the criteria of choice which follow will have to be examined: behaviour under irradiation, insertion of a fluid in the material, thermal properties required, mechanical properties required, utilization [fr

Monte Carlo calculation of standard graphite block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ljubenov, V.

2000-01-01

This paper presents results of calculation of neutron flux space and energy distribution in the standard graphite block (SGB) obtained by the MCNP TM code. VMCCS nuclear data library, based on the ENDF / B-VI release 4 evaluation file, is used. MCNP model of the SGB considers detailed material, geometric and spectral properties of the neutron source, source carrier, graphite moderator medium, aluminium foil holders and proximate surrounding of SGB Geometric model is organised to provide the simplest homogeneous volume cells in order to obtain the maximum acceleration of neutron history tracking (author)

Application of quantitative image analysis to the investigation of macroporosity of graphitic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delle, W.; Koizlik, K.; Hoven, H.; Wallura, E.

1978-01-01

The essence of quantitative image analysis is that the classification of graphitic materials to be inspected is possible on the basis of the grey value contrast between pores (dark) and carbon (bright). Macroporosity is defined as total of all pores with diameters larger than 0.2 μm. The pore size distributions and pore shapes of graphites based on petroleum, pitch, gilsonite and fluid coke as well as graphitic fuel matrices and pyrolytic carbons were investigated. The relationships between maximum grain size, macroporosity and total porosity as well as the anisotropies of macroporosity and electrical resistivity of graphite were established. (orig./GSC) [de

Thermal cyclic oxidation behavior of the developed compositionally gradient graphite material of SiC/C in air environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakano, Junichi; Fujii, Kimio; Shindo, Masami

1993-08-01

For the developed compositionally gradient graphite material composed of surface SiC coating layer, middle SiC/C layer and graphite matrix, the thermal cyclic oxidation test was performed together with two kinds of the SiC coated graphite materials in air environment. It was made clear that the developed material exhibited high performance under severe thermal cyclic condition independent of the morphology of middle SiC/C layers and had the longer time or the more cycle margins from crack initiation to failure for surface SiC coating layer compared with the SiC coated graphite materials. (author)

On the Thermal Conductivity Change of Matrix Graphite Materials after Neutron Irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young-Woo; Yeo, Seunghwan; Kim, Eung-Seon; Sah, Injin; Park, Daegyu; Kim, Youngjun; Cho, Moon Sung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

In this work, the variations of the thermal conductivity of the A3-3 matrix graphite after neutron irradiation is discussed as well as of the IG-110 graphite for comparison. Neutron irradiation of the graphite specimens was carried out as a part of the first irradiation test of KAERI's coated particle fuel specimens by use of Hanaro research reactor. This work can be summarized as follows: 1) In the evaluation of the specific heat of the graphite materials, various literature data were used and the variations of the specific heat data of all the graphite specimens are observed well agreed, irrespectively of the difference in specimens (graphite and matrix graphite and irradiated and un-irradiated). 2) This implies that it should be reasonable that for both structural graphite and fuel matrix graphite, and even for the neuron-irradiated graphite, any of these specific heat data set be used in the calculation of the thermal conductivity. 3) For the irradiated A3-3 matrix graphite specimens, the thermal conductivity decreased on both directions. On the radial direction, the tendency of variation upon temperature is similar to that of unirradiated specimen, i.e., decreasing as the temperature increases. 4) In the German irradiation experiments with A3-27 matrix graphite specimens, the thermal conductivity of the un-irradiated specimen shows a decrease and that of irradiated specimen is nearly constant as the temperature increases. 5) The thermal conductivity of the irradiated IG-110 was considerably decreased compared with that of un-irradiated specimens The difference of the thermal conductivity of un-irradiated and irradiated IG-110 graphite specimens is much larger than that of un-irradiated and irradiated A3-3 matrix graphite specimens.

Structural disorder of graphite and implications for graphite thermometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Kirilova

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Graphitization, or the progressive maturation of carbonaceous material, is considered an irreversible process. Thus, the degree of graphite crystallinity, or its structural order, has been calibrated as an indicator of the peak metamorphic temperatures experienced by the host rocks. However, discrepancies between temperatures indicated by graphite crystallinity versus other thermometers have been documented in deformed rocks. To examine the possibility of mechanical modifications of graphite structure and the potential impacts on graphite thermometry, we performed laboratory deformation experiments. We sheared highly crystalline graphite powder at normal stresses of 5 and 25  megapascal (MPa and aseismic velocities of 1, 10 and 100 µm s−1. The degree of structural order both in the starting and resulting materials was analyzed by Raman microspectroscopy. Our results demonstrate structural disorder of graphite, manifested as changes in the Raman spectra. Microstructural observations show that brittle processes caused the documented mechanical modifications of the aggregate graphite crystallinity. We conclude that the calibrated graphite thermometer is ambiguous in active tectonic settings.

Production of an impermeable composite of irradiated graphite and glass by hot isostatic pressing as a long term leach resistant waste form

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fachinger, Johannes; Muller, Walter; Marsat, Eric; Grosse, Karl-Heinz; Seemann, Richard; Scales, Charlie; Easton, Michael Mark; Anthony Banford

2013-01-01

Around 250,000 tons of irradiated graphite (i-graphite) exists worldwide and can be considered as a current waste or future waste stream. The largest national i-graphite inventory is located in UK (∼ 100,000 tons) with significant quantities also in Russia and France [5]. Most of the i-graphite remains in the cores of shutdown nuclear reactors including the MAGNOX type in UK and the UNGG in France. Whilst there are still operational power reactors with graphite cores, such as the Russian RBMKs and the AGRs in UK, all of them will reach their end of life during the next two decades. The most common reference waste management option of i-graphite is a wet or dry retrieval of the graphite blocks from the reactor core and the grouting of these blocks in a container without further conditioning. This produces large waste package volumes because the encapsulation capacity of the grout is limited and large cavities in the graphite blocks could reduce the packing densities. Packing densities from 0.5 to 1 tons per cubic meter have been assumed for grouting solutions. Furthermore the grout is permeable. This could over time allow the penetration of aqueous phases into the waste block and a potential dissolution and release of radionuclides. As a result particularly highly soluble radionuclides may not be retained by the grout. Vitrification could present an alternative, however a similar waste package volume increase may be expected since the encapsulation capacity of glass is potentially similar to or worse than that of grout. FNAG has developed a process for the production of a graphite-glass composite material called Impermeable Graphite Matrix (IGM) [3]. This process is also applicable to irradiated graphite which allows the manufacturing of an impermeable material without volume increase. Crushed i-graphite is mixed with 20 vol.% of glass and then pressed under vacuum at an elevated temperature in an axial hot vacuum press (HVP). The obtained product has zero or

Production of an impermeable composite of irradiated graphite and glass by hot isostatic pressing as a long term leach resistant waste form

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fachinger, Johannes; Muller, Walter [FNAG ZU Hanau, Hanau (Germany); Marsat, Eric [FNAG SAS Le Pont de Claix (France); Grosse, Karl-Heinz; Seemann, Richard [ALD Hanau (Germany); Scales, Charlie; Easton, Michael Mark [NNL, Workington (United Kingdom); Anthony Banford [NNL, Warrington (United Kingdom); University of Manchester, Manchester (United Kingdom)

2013-07-01

Around 250,000 tons of irradiated graphite (i-graphite) exists worldwide and can be considered as a current waste or future waste stream. The largest national i-graphite inventory is located in UK (∼ 100,000 tons) with significant quantities also in Russia and France [5]. Most of the i-graphite remains in the cores of shutdown nuclear reactors including the MAGNOX type in UK and the UNGG in France. Whilst there are still operational power reactors with graphite cores, such as the Russian RBMKs and the AGRs in UK, all of them will reach their end of life during the next two decades. The most common reference waste management option of i-graphite is a wet or dry retrieval of the graphite blocks from the reactor core and the grouting of these blocks in a container without further conditioning. This produces large waste package volumes because the encapsulation capacity of the grout is limited and large cavities in the graphite blocks could reduce the packing densities. Packing densities from 0.5 to 1 tons per cubic meter have been assumed for grouting solutions. Furthermore the grout is permeable. This could over time allow the penetration of aqueous phases into the waste block and a potential dissolution and release of radionuclides. As a result particularly highly soluble radionuclides may not be retained by the grout. Vitrification could present an alternative, however a similar waste package volume increase may be expected since the encapsulation capacity of glass is potentially similar to or worse than that of grout. FNAG has developed a process for the production of a graphite-glass composite material called Impermeable Graphite Matrix (IGM) [3]. This process is also applicable to irradiated graphite which allows the manufacturing of an impermeable material without volume increase. Crushed i-graphite is mixed with 20 vol.% of glass and then pressed under vacuum at an elevated temperature in an axial hot vacuum press (HVP). The obtained product has zero or

Removal of 14C from Irradiated Graphite for Graphite Recycle and Waste Volume Reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunzik-Gougar, Mary Lou; Windes, Will; Marsden, Barry

2014-01-01

The aim of the research presented here was to identify the chemical form of 14 C in irradiated graphite. A greater understanding of the chemical form of this longest-lived isotope in irradiated graphite will inform not only management of legacy waste, but also development of next generation gas-cooled reactors. Approximately 250,000 metric tons of irradiated graphite waste exists worldwide, with the largest single quantity originating in the Magnox and AGR reactors of UK. The waste quantity is expected to increase with decommissioning of Generation II reactors and deployment of Generation I gas-cooled, graphite moderated reactors. Of greatest concern for long-term disposal of irradiated graphite is carbon-14 14 C, with a half-life of 5730 years.

Project accent: graphite irradiated creep in a materials test reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooking, M.

2014-01-01

Atkins manages a pioneering programme of irradiation experiments for EDF Energy. One of these projects is Project ACCENT, designed to obtain evidence of a beneficial physical property of the graphite, which may extend the life of the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs). The project team combines the in-house experience of EDF Energy with two supplier organisations (providing the material test reactors and testing facilities) and supporting consultancies (Atkins and an independent technical expert). This paper describes: - Brief summary of the Project; - Discussion of the challenges faced by the Project; and - Conclusion elaborating on the aims of the Project. These challenging experiments use bespoke technology and both un-irradiated (virgin) and irradiated AGR graphite. The results will help to better understand graphite irradiation-induced creep (or stress modified dimensional change) properties and therefore more accurately determine lifetime and safe operating envelopes of the AGRs. The first round of irradiation has been completed, with a second round about to commence. This is a key step to realising the full lifetime ambition for AGRs, demonstrating the relaxation of stresses within the graphite bricks. (authors)

Nickel-Graphite Composite Compliant Interface and/or Hot Shoe Material

Science.gov (United States)

Firdosy, Samad A.; Chun-Yip Li, Billy; Ravi, Vilupanur A.; Fleurial, Jean-Pierre; Caillat, Thierry; Anjunyan, Harut

2013-01-01

Next-generation high-temperature thermoelectric-power-generating devices will employ segmented architectures and will have to reliably withstand thermally induced mechanical stresses produced during component fabrication, device assembly, and operation. Thermoelectric materials have typically poor mechanical strength, exhibit brittle behavior, and possess a wide range of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) values. As a result, the direct bonding at elevated temperatures of these materials to each other to produce segmented leg components is difficult, and often results in localized microcracking at interfaces and mec hanical failure due to the stresses that arise from the CTE mismatch between the various materials. Even in the absence of full mechanical failure, degraded interfaces can lead to increased electrical and thermal resistances, which adversely impact conversion efficiency and power output. The proposed solution is the insertion of a mechanically compliant layer, with high electrical and thermal conductivity, between the low- and high-temperature segments to relieve thermomechanical stresses during device fabrication and operation. This composite material can be used as a stress-relieving layer between the thermoelectric segments and/or between a thermoelectric segment and a hot- or cold-side interconnect material. The material also can be used as a compliant hot shoe. Nickel-coated graphite powders were hot-pressed to form a nickel-graphite composite material. A freestanding thermoelectric segmented leg was fabricated by brazing the compliant pad layer between the high-temperature p- Zintl and low-temperature p-SKD TE segments using Cu-Ag braze foils. The segmented leg stack was heated in vacuum under a compressive load to achieve bonding. The novelty of the innovation is the use of composite material that re duces the thermomechanical stresses en - countered in the construction of high-efficiency, high-temperature therm - o-electric devices. The

Graphite materials testing in the ATR for lifetime management of Magnox reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grover, S.B.; Metcalfe, M.P.

2002-01-01

A major feature of the Magnox gas cooled reactor design is the graphite core, which acts as the moderator but also provides the physical structure for fuel, control rods, instrumentation and coolant gas channels. The lifetime of a graphite core is dependent upon two principal aging processes: irradiation damage and radiolytic oxidation. Irradiation damage from fast neutrons creates lattice defects leading to changes in physical and mechanical properties and the accumulation of stresses. Radiolytic oxidation is caused by the reaction of oxidizing species from the carbon dioxide coolant gas with the graphite, these species being produced by gamma radiation. Radiolytic oxidation reduces the density and hence the moderating capability of the graphite, but also reduces strength affecting the integrity of core components. In order to manage continued operation over the planned lifetimes of their power stations, BNFL needed to extend their database of the effects of these two phenomena on their graphite cores through an irradiation experiment. This paper will discuss the background, purpose, and the processes taken and planned (i.e. post irradiation examination) to ensure meaningful data on the graphite core material is obtained from the irradiation experiment. (author)

Graphite Materials Testing in the ATR for Lifetime Management of Magnox Reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grover, S.B.; Metcalfe, M.P.

2002-01-01

A major feature of the Magnox gas cooled reactor design is the graphite core, which acts as the moderator but also provides the physical structure for fuel, control rods, instrumentation and coolant gas channels. The lifetime of a graphite core is dependent upon two principal aging processes: irradiation damage and radiolytic oxidation. Irradiation damage from fast neutrons creates lattice defects leading to changes in physical and mechanical properties and the accumulation of stresses. Radiolytic oxidation is caused by the reaction of oxidizing species from the carbon dioxide coolant gas with the graphite, these species being produced by gamma radiation. Radiolytic oxidation reduces the density and hence the moderating capability of the graphite, but also reduces strength affecting the integrity of core components. In order to manage continued operation over the planned lifetimes of their power stations, BNFL needed to extend their database of the effects of these two phenomena on the ir graphite cores through an irradiation experiment. This paper will discuss the background, purpose, and the processes taken and planned (i.e. post irradiation examination) to ensure meaningful data on the graphite core material is obtained from the irradiation experiment

Anisotropic Material Behavior of Uni-axially Compacted Graphite Matrix for HTGR Fuel Compact Fabrication

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young-Woo; Yeo, Seunghwan; Yoon, Ji-Hae; Cho, Moon Sung [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

In developing the fuel compact fabrication technology, and fuel graphite material to meet the required material properties, it is essential to investigate the relationship among the process parameters of the matrix graphite powder preparation, the fabrication parameters of fuel element green compact and the heat treatments conditions and the material properties of fuel element. It was observed, during this development, that the pressing technique employed for the compaction fabrication prior to the two successive heat treatments (carbonization and final high temperature heat treatment) was of extreme importance in determining the material properties of the final compact product. In this work, the material behavior of the uni-axially pressed graphite matrix during the carbonization and final heat treatment are evaluated and summarized along the different directions, viz., perpendicular and parallel directions to pressing direction. In this work, the dimensional variations and variations in thermal expansion, thermal conductivity and Vickers hardness of the graphite matrix compact samples in the axial and radial directions prepared by uni-axial pressing are evaluated, and compared with those of samples prepared by cold isostatic pressing with the available data. From this work, the followings are observed. 1) Dimensional changes of matrix graphite green compacts during carbonization show that the difference in radial and axial variations shows a large anisotropic behavior in shrinkage. The radial variation is very small while the axial variation is large. During carbonization, the stresses caused by the force would be released in to the axial direction together with the phenolic resin vapor. 2) Dimensional variation of compact samples in perpendicular and parallel directions during carbonization shows a large difference in behavior when compact sample is prepared by uni-axial pressing. However, when compact sample is prepared by cold isostatic pressing, there is

Anisotropic Material Behavior of Uni-axially Compacted Graphite Matrix for HTGR Fuel Compact Fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young-Woo; Yeo, Seunghwan; Yoon, Ji-Hae; Cho, Moon Sung

2016-01-01

In developing the fuel compact fabrication technology, and fuel graphite material to meet the required material properties, it is essential to investigate the relationship among the process parameters of the matrix graphite powder preparation, the fabrication parameters of fuel element green compact and the heat treatments conditions and the material properties of fuel element. It was observed, during this development, that the pressing technique employed for the compaction fabrication prior to the two successive heat treatments (carbonization and final high temperature heat treatment) was of extreme importance in determining the material properties of the final compact product. In this work, the material behavior of the uni-axially pressed graphite matrix during the carbonization and final heat treatment are evaluated and summarized along the different directions, viz., perpendicular and parallel directions to pressing direction. In this work, the dimensional variations and variations in thermal expansion, thermal conductivity and Vickers hardness of the graphite matrix compact samples in the axial and radial directions prepared by uni-axial pressing are evaluated, and compared with those of samples prepared by cold isostatic pressing with the available data. From this work, the followings are observed. 1) Dimensional changes of matrix graphite green compacts during carbonization show that the difference in radial and axial variations shows a large anisotropic behavior in shrinkage. The radial variation is very small while the axial variation is large. During carbonization, the stresses caused by the force would be released in to the axial direction together with the phenolic resin vapor. 2) Dimensional variation of compact samples in perpendicular and parallel directions during carbonization shows a large difference in behavior when compact sample is prepared by uni-axial pressing. However, when compact sample is prepared by cold isostatic pressing, there is

Hydrogen storage material and process using graphite additive with metal-doped complex hydrides

Science.gov (United States)

Zidan, Ragaiy [Aiken, SC; Ritter, James A [Lexington, SC; Ebner, Armin D [Lexington, SC; Wang, Jun [Columbia, SC; Holland, Charles E [Cayce, SC

2008-06-10

A hydrogen storage material having improved hydrogen absorbtion and desorption kinetics is provided by adding graphite to a complex hydride such as a metal-doped alanate, i.e., NaAlH.sub.4. The incorporation of graphite into the complex hydride significantly enhances the rate of hydrogen absorbtion and desorption and lowers the desorption temperature needed to release stored hydrogen.

Oxidation Resistant Graphite Studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

W. Windes; R. Smith

2014-07-01

The Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) Graphite Research and Development Program is investigating doped nuclear graphite grades exhibiting oxidation resistance. During a oxygen ingress accident the oxidation rates of the high temperature graphite core region would be extremely high resulting in significant structural damage to the core. Reducing the oxidation rate of the graphite core material would reduce the structural effects and keep the core integrity intact during any air-ingress accident. Oxidation testing of graphite doped with oxidation resistant material is being conducted to determine the extent of oxidation rate reduction. Nuclear grade graphite doped with varying levels of Boron-Carbide (B4C) was oxidized in air at nominal 740°C at 10/90% (air/He) and 100% air. The oxidation rates of the boronated and unboronated graphite grade were compared. With increasing boron-carbide content (up to 6 vol%) the oxidation rate was observed to have a 20 fold reduction from unboronated graphite. Visual inspection and uniformity of oxidation across the surface of the specimens were conducted. Future work to determine the remaining mechanical strength as well as graphite grades with SiC doped material are discussed.

Artificial graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maire, J.

1984-01-01

Artificial graphites are obtained by agglomeration of carbon powders with an organic binder, then by carbonisation at 1000 0 C and graphitization at 2800 0 C. After description of the processes and products, we show how the properties of the various materials lead to the various uses. Using graphite enables us to solve some problems, but it is not sufficient to satisfy all the need of the application. New carbonaceous material open application range. Finally, if some products are becoming obsolete, other ones are being developed in new applications [fr

Thermally exfoliated graphite oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'Homme, Robert K. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor); Abdala, Ahmed (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A modified graphite oxide material contains a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 sq m/g to 2600 sq m/g, wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide displays no signature of the original graphite and/or graphite oxide, as determined by X-ray diffraction.

Progress in radioactive graphite waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-07-01

Radioactive graphite constitutes a major waste stream which arises during the decommissioning of certain types of nuclear installations. Worldwide, a total of around 250 000 tonnes of radioactive graphite, comprising graphite moderators and reflectors, will require management solutions in the coming years. 14 C is the radionuclide of greatest concern in nuclear graphite; it arises principally through the interaction of reactor neutrons with nitrogen, which is present in graphite as an impurity or in the reactor coolant or cover gas. 3 H is created by the reactions of neutrons with 6 Li impurities in graphite as well as in fission of the fuel. 36 Cl is generated in the neutron activation of chlorine impurities in graphite. Problems in the radioactive waste management of graphite arise mainly because of the large volumes requiring disposal, the long half-lives of the main radionuclides involved and the specific properties of graphite - such as stored Wigner energy, graphite dust explosibility and the potential for radioactive gases to be released. Various options for the management of radioactive graphite have been studied but a generally accepted approach for its conditioning and disposal does not yet exist. Different solutions may be appropriate in different cases. In most of the countries with radioactive graphite to manage, little progress has been made to date in respect of the disposal of this material. Only in France has there been specific thinking about a dedicated graphite waste-disposal facility (within ANDRA): other major producers of graphite waste (UK and the countries of the former Soviet Union) are either thinking in terms of repository disposal or have no developed plans. A conference entitled 'Solutions for Graphite Waste: a Contribution to the Accelerated Decommissioning of Graphite Moderated Nuclear Reactors' was held at the University of Manchester 21-23 March 2007 in order to stimulate progress in radioactive graphite waste management

Mechanical and thermophysical properties of graphite/polyimide composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rummler, D. R.; Clark, R. K.

1979-01-01

An on-going program to characterize advanced composites for up to 50,000 hours of exposure to simulated supersonic cruise environments is summarized. Results are presented for up to 25,000 hours of thermal exposure and 10,000 hours of flight simulation at temperatures up to 560K (550 F) with emphasis on HTS/710 graphite/polyimide composite material. Results to date indicate that the maximum use temperature for HTS/710 may be reduced to 505K (450 F) for long-time (1000 hours) application such as the supersonic transport. Preliminary thermophysical properties data for HTS/PMR15 graphite/polyimide were generated. These data include thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, and specific heat from 115K (-252 F) to 590K (600 F) and emittance at room temperature and 590K (600 F). The purpose in generating these data was to validate use of state-of-the-art property measurement methods for advanced graphite fiber reinforced resin matrix composites. Based on results to this point, thermal expansion measurements for composites are most difficult to perform. A high degree of caution in conducting thermal expansion tests and analyzing results is required to produce reliable data.

Empirical Validation of Heat Transfer Performance Simulation of Graphite/PCM Concrete Materials for Thermally Activated Building System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Hee Song

2017-01-01

Full Text Available To increase the heat capacity in lightweight construction materials, a phase change material (PCM can be introduced to building elements. A thermally activated building system (TABS with graphite/PCM concrete hollow core slab is suggested as an energy-efficient technology to shift and reduce the peak thermal load in buildings. An evaluation of heat storage and dissipation characteristics of TABS in graphite/PCM concrete has been conducted using dynamic simulations, but empirical validation is necessary to acceptably predict the thermal behavior of graphite/PCM concrete. This study aimed to validate the thermal behavior of graphite/PCM concrete through a three-dimensional transient heat transfer simulation. The simulation results were compared to experimental results from previous studies of concrete and graphite/PCM concrete. The overall thermal behavior for both materials was found to be similar to experiment results. Limitations in the simulation modeling, which included determination of the indoor heat transfer coefficient, assumption of constant thermal conductivity with temperature, and assumption of specimen homogeneity, led to slight differences between the measured and simulated results.

Pyrolysis and its potential use in nuclear graphite disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, J.B.; Bradbury, D.

2001-01-01

Graphite is used as a moderator material in a number of nuclear reactor designs, such as MAGNOX and AGR gas cooled reactors in the United Kingdom and the RBMK design in Russia. During construction the moderator of the reactor is usually installed as an interlocking structure of graphite bricks. At the end of reactor life the graphite moderator, weighing typically 2,000 tonnes, is a radioactive waste which requires eventual management. Radioactive graphite disposal options conventionally include: In-situ SAFESTORE for extended periods to permit manual disassembly of the graphite moderator through decay of short-lived radionuclides. Robotic or manual disassembly of the reactor core followed by disposal of the graphite blocks. Robotic or manual disassembly of the reactor core followed by incineration of the graphite and release of the resulting carbon dioxide Studsvik, Inc. is a nuclear waste management and waste processing company organised to serve the US nuclear utility and government facilities. Studsvik's management and technical staff have a wealth of experience in processing liquid, slurry and solid low level radioactive waste using (amongst others) pyrolysis and steam reforming techniques. Bradtec is a UK company specialising in decontamination and waste management. This paper describes the use of pyrolysis and steam reforming techniques to gasify graphite leading to a low volume off-gas product. This allows the following options/advantages. Safe release of any stored Wigner energy in the graphite. The process can accept small pieces or a water-slurry of graphite, which enables the graphite to be removed from the reactor core by mechanical machining or water cutting techniques, applied remotely in the reactor fuel channels. In certain situations the process could be used to gasify the reactor moderator in-situ. The low volume of the off-gas product enables non-carbon radioactive impurities to be efficiently separated from the off-gas. The off-gas product can

Carburization in fluidized bed of carbon-graphite materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Murav' ev, V I

1977-01-01

A study has been made of the diffusion saturation with carbon of the surface of titanium alloy VT1-1, molybdenum and 08KP steel with respect to the type of carbographitic materials, methods of pseudoliquefaction and heating in the temperature interval 800 to 1100/sup 0/ deg C. Used as the carburizing materials have been charcoal, acetylene black, charcoal carburizer, graphitized particles, pyrobenzene. The maximum carburizing effect is shown to be possessed by charcoal, the minimum effect - by acetylene black. Carburization in the pseudoliquid layer is 5 to 7 times as intensive as in the case of gas cementation and in a solid carburizer. No oxidation of the materials and hydrogenation of titanium has been observed in the temperature interval under study.

Evaluation of thermal shock strengths for graphite materials using a laser irradiation method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jae Hoon; Lee, Young Shin; Kim, Duck Hoi; Park, No Seok; Suh, Jeong; Kim, Jeng O.; Il Moon, Soon

2004-01-01

Thermal shock is a physical phenomenon that occurs during the exposure to rapidly high temperature and pressure changes or during quenching of a material. The rocket nozzle throat is exposed to combustion gas of high temperature. Therefore, it is important to select suitable materials having the appropriate thermal shock resistance and to evaluate these materials for rocket nozzle design. The material of this study is ATJ graphite, which is the candidate material for rocket nozzle throat. This study presents an experimental method to evaluate the thermal shock resistance and thermal shock fracture toughness of ATJ graphite using laser irradiation. In particular, thermal shock resistance tests are conducted with changes of specimen thickness, with laser source irradiated at the center of the specimen. Temperature distributions on the specimen surface are detected using type K and C thermocouples. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to observe the thermal cracks on specimen surface

A comparative investigation on absorption performances of three expanded graphite-based complex materials for toluene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Shande; Tian Shuanghong; Feng Yunfeng; Lei Jiajia; Wang, Piaopiao; Xiong Ya

2010-01-01

Three kinds of expanded graphite-based complex materials were prepared to absorb toluene by dispersing plant oil, animal oil and mineral oil on the surface of expanded graphite, respectively. These complex materials were characterized by scanning electronic micrograph, contact angle meter and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area. And their absorption capacities for toluene were comparatively investigated. The results showed that the surfaces of the three types of sorbents were very hydrophobic and nonporous, but they all had excellent absorption capacities for toluene. And their absorption capacities were proportional to the toluene concentration in streams and decreased differently with increasing the absorption temperature. It was noteworthy that the absorption capacities varied with the unsaturated degree of the complex materials and kept unchanged under different relative humidities of streams. Moreover, the regeneration experiments showed that after 15-run regeneration the absorption capacities of expanded graphite modified by mineral oil almost kept unchanged, while that of expanded graphite loaded plant oil and animal oil dropped by 157 and 93.6 mg g -1 , respectively. The losses of their absorption capacities were ascribed to the destruction of their unsaturated carbon bounds.

ANDRA - Referential Materials. Volume 1: Context and scope; Volume 2: Argillaceous materials; Volume 3: Cementitious materials; Volume 4: The corrosion of metallic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This huge document gathers four volumes. The first volume presents some generalities about materials used in the storage of radioactive materials (definition, design principle, current choices and corresponding storage components, general properties of materials and functions of the corresponding storage components, physical and chemical solicitations experienced by materials in a storage), and the structure and content of the other documents. The second volume addresses argillaceous materials. It presents some generalities about these materials in the context of a deep geological storage, and about their design. It presents and comments the crystalline and chemical, and physical and chemical characteristics of swelling argillaceous materials and minerals, describes how these swelling argillaceous materials are shaped and set up, presents and comments physical properties (hydraulic, mechanical and thermal properties) of these materials, comments and discusses the modelling of the geo-chemical behaviour, and their behaviour in terms of containment and transport of radionuclides. The third volume addresses cementitious materials. It presents some generalities about these materials in the context of a deep geological storage, and about their definition and specifications. It presents some more detailed generalities (cement definition and composition, hydration, microstructure of hydrated cements, adjuvants), presents and comments their physical properties (fresh concrete structure and influence of composition, main aimed properties in the hardened status, transfer, mechanical, and thermal properties, shaping and setting up of these materials, technical solutions for hydraulic works). The fourth volume addresses the corrosion of metallic materials. It presents some generalities about these materials in the context of a deep geological storage of radioactive materials. It presents metallic materials and discusses their corrosion behaviour. It describes the peculiarities

Synthesis and characterization of SiC based composite materials for immobilizing radioactive graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qing; Teng, Yuancheng; Wu, Lang; Zhang, Kuibao; Zhao, Xiaofeng; Hu, Zhuang

2018-06-01

In order to immobilize high-level radioactive graphite, silicon carbide based composite materials{ (1-x) SiC· x MgAl2O4 (0.1 ≤ x≤0.4) } were fabricated by solid-state reaction at 1370 °C for 2 h in vacuum. Residual graphite and precipitated corundum were observed in the as-synthesized product, which attributed to the interface reaction of element silicon and magnesium compounds. To further understand the reasons for the presence of graphite and corundum, the effects of mole ratio of Si/C, MgAl2O4 content and non-stoichiometry of MgAl2O4 on the synthesis were investigated. To immobilize graphite better, residual graphite should be eliminated. The target product was obtained when the mole ratio of Si/C was 1.3:1, MgAl2O4 content was x = 0.2, and the mole ratio of Al to Mg in non-stoichiometric MgAl2O4 was 1.7:1. In addition, the interface reaction between magnesium compounds and silicon not graphite was displayed by conducting a series of comparative experiments. The key factor for the occurrence of interface reaction is that oxygen atom is transferred from magnesium compound to SiO gas. Infrared and Raman spectrum revealed the increased disorders of graphite after being synthesized.

Graphite selection for the PBMR reflector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsden, B.J.; Preston, S.D.

2000-01-01

A high temperature, direct cycle gas turbine, graphite moderated, helium cooled, pebble-bed reactor (PBMR) is being designed and constructed in South Africa. One of the major components in the PBMR is the graphite reflector, which must be designed to last thirty-five full power years. Fast neutron irradiation changes the dimensions and material properties of reactor graphite, thus for design purposes a suitable graphite database is required. Data on the effect of irradiation on nuclear graphites has been gathered for many years, at considerable financial cost, but unfortunately these graphites are no longer available due to rationalization of the graphite industry and loss of key graphite coke supplies. However, it is possible, using un-irradiated graphite materials properties and knowledge of the particular graphite microstructure, to determine the probable irradiation behaviour. Three types of nuclear graphites are currently being considered for the PBMR reflector: an isostatically moulded, fine grained, high strength graphite and two extruded medium grained graphites of moderately high strength. Although there is some irradiation data available for these graphites, the data does not cover the temperature and dose range required for the PBMR. The available graphites have been examined to determine their microstructure and some of the key material properties are presented. (authors)

Method of Joining Graphite Fibers to a Substrate

Science.gov (United States)

Beringer, Durwood M. (Inventor); Caron, Mark E. (Inventor); Taddey, Edmund P. (Inventor); Gleason, Brian P. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A method of assembling a metallic-graphite structure includes forming a wetted graphite subassembly by arranging one or more layers of graphite fiber material including a plurality of graphite fibers and applying a layer of metallization material to ends of the plurality of graphite fibers. At least one metallic substrate is secured to the wetted graphite subassembly via the layer of metallization material.

Purification and preparation of graphite oxide from natural graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Panatarani, C., E-mail: c.panatarani@phys.unpad.ac.id; Muthahhari, N.; Joni, I. Made [Instrumentation Systems and Functional Material Processing Laboratory, Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Padjadjaran University, Jl. Raya Bandung-Sumedang KM 21, Jatinangor, 45363, Jawa Barat (Indonesia); Rianto, Anton [Grafindo Nusantara Ltd., Belagio Mall Lantai 2, Unit 0 L3-19, Kawasan Mega Kuningan, Kav. B4 No.3, Jakarta Selatan (Indonesia)

2016-03-11

Graphite oxide has attracted much interest as a possible route for preparation of natural graphite in the large-scale production and manipulation of graphene as a material with extraordinary electronic properties. Graphite oxide was prepared by modified Hummers method from purified natural graphite sample from West Kalimantan. We demonstrated that natural graphite is well-purified by acid leaching method. The purified graphite was proceed for intercalating process by modifying Hummers method. The modification is on the reaction time and temperature of the intercalation process. The materials used in the intercalating process are H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} and KMNO{sub 4}. The purified natural graphite is analyzed by carbon content based on Loss on Ignition test. The thermo gravimetricanalysis and the Fouriertransform infrared spectroscopy are performed to investigate the oxidation results of the obtained GO which is indicated by the existence of functional groups. In addition, the X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are also applied to characterize respectively for the crystal structure and elemental analysis. The results confirmed that natural graphite samples with 68% carbon content was purified into 97.68 % carbon content. While the intercalation process formed a formation of functional groups in the obtained GO. The results show that the temperature and reaction times have improved the efficiency of the oxidation process. It is concluded that these method could be considered as an important route for large-scale production of graphene.

Influence of Particle Size on Properties of Expanded Graphite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurajica, S

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Expanded graphite has been applied widely in thermal insulation, adsorption, vibration damping, gasketing, electromagnetic interference shielding etc. It is made by intercalation of natural flake graphite followed by thermal expansion. Intercalation is a process whereby an intercalant material is inserted between the graphene layers of a graphite crystal. Exfoliation, a huge unidirectional expansion of the starting intercalated flakes, occurs when the graphene layers are forced apart by the sudden decomposition and vaporization of the intercalated species by thermal shock. Along with production methodologies, such as the intercalation process and heat treatment, the raw material characteristics, especially particle size, strongly influence the properties of the final product.This report evaluates the influence of the particle size of the raw material on the intercalation and expansion processes and consequently the properties of the exfoliated graphite. Natural crystalline flake graphite with wide particle diameter distribution (between dp = 80 and 425 µm was divided into four size-range portions by sieving. Graphite was intercalated via perchloric acid, glacial acetic acid and potassium dichromate oxidation and intercalation procedure. 5.0 g of graphite, 7.0 g of perchloric acid, 4.0 g of glacial acetic acid and 2.0 g of potassium dichromate were placed in glass reactor. The mixture was stirred with n = 200 min–1 at temperature of 45 °C during 60 min. Then it was filtered and washed with distilled water until pH~6 and dried at 60 °C during 24 h. Expansion was accomplished by thermal shock at 1000 °C for 1 min. The prepared samples were characterized by means of exfoliation volume measurements, simultaneous differential thermal analysis and thermo-gravimetry (DTA/TGA, X-ray diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, BET measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM.X-ray diffraction indicated a change of distance

Graphite for high-temperature reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hammer, W.; Leushacke, D.F.; Nickel, H.; Theymann, W.

1976-01-01

The different graphites necessary for HTRs are being developed, produced and tested within the Federal German ''Development Programme Nuclear Graphite''. Up to now, batches of the following graphite grades have been manufactured and fully characterized by the SIGRI Company to demonstrate reproducibility: pitch coke graphite AS2-500 for the hexagonal fuel elements and exchangeable reflector blocks; special pitch coke graphite ASI2-500 for reflector blocks of the pebble-bed reactor and as back-up material for the hexagonal fuel elements; graphite for core support columns. The material data obtained fulfill most of the requirements under present specifications. Production of large-size blocks for the permanent side reflector and the core support blocks is under way. The test programme covers all areas important for characterizing and judging HTR-graphites. In-pile testing comprises evaluation of the material for irradiation-induced changes of dimensions, mechanical and thermal properties - including behaviour under temperature cycling and creep behaviour - as well as irradiating fuel element segments and blocks. Testing out-of-pile includes: evaluation of corrosion rates and influence of corrosion on strength; strength measurements; including failure criteria. The test programme has been carried out extensively on the AS2-graphite, and the results obtained show that this graphite is suitable as HTGR fuel element graphite. (author)

A comparative study of electrochemical performance of graphene sheets, expanded graphite and natural graphite as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Li-Zhong; Zhao, Dong-Lin; Zhang, Tai-Ming; Xie, Wei-Gang; Zhang, Ji-Ming; Shen, Zeng-Min

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Graphene sheets (GSs), expanded graphite (EG) and natural graphite (NG) were comparatively investigated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. • The reversible capacity of GS electrode was almost twice that of EG electrode and three times that of NG electrode. • The first-cycle coulombic efficiency and capacity retention of NG were much bigger than those of GSs and EG. • GS and EG electrodes exhibited higher electrochemical activity and more favorable kinetic properties. -- Abstract: Three kinds of carbon materials, i.e., graphene sheets (GSs), expanded graphite (EG) and natural graphite (NG) were comparatively investigated as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries via scanning electron microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and a variety of electrochemical testing techniques. The test results showed that the reversible capacities of GS electrode were 1130 and 636 mA h g −1 at the current densities of 0.2 and 1 mA cm −2 , respectively, which were almost twice those of EG electrode and three times those of NG electrode. The first-cycle coulombic efficiency and capacity retention of NG were much bigger than those of GSs and EG. The notable capacity fading observed in GSs and EG may be ascribed to the disorder-induced structure instability. The larger voltage hysteresis in GS and EG electrodes was not only related to the surface functional groups, but also to the active defects in GSs and EG, which results in greater hindrance and higher overvoltage during lithium extraction from electrode. The kinetics properties of GSs, EG and NG electrodes were compared by AC impedance measurements. GS and EG electrodes exhibited higher electrochemical activity and more favorable kinetic properties during charge and discharge process

Polymer-derived-SiCN ceramic/graphite composite as anode material with enhanced rate capability for lithium ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Graczyk-Zajac, M.; Fasel, C.; Riedel, R.

2011-08-01

We report on a new composite material in view of its application as a negative electrode in lithium-ion batteries. A commercial preceramic polysilazane mixed with graphite in 1:1 weight ratio was transformed into a SiCN/graphite composite material through a pyrolytic polymer-to-ceramic conversion at three different temperatures, namely 950 °C, 1100 °C and 1300 °C. By means of Raman spectroscopy we found successive ordering of carbon clusters into nano-crystalline graphitic regions with increasing pyrolysis temperature. The reversible capacity of about 350 mAh g-1 was measured with constant current charging/discharging for the composite prepared at 1300 °C. For comparison pure graphite and pure polysilazane-derived SiCN ceramic were examined as reference materials. During fast charging and discharging the composite material demonstrates enhanced capacity and stability. Charging and discharging in half an hour lead to about 200 and 10 mAh g-1, for the composite annealed at 1300 °C and pure graphite, respectively. A clear dependence between the final material capacity and pyrolysis temperature is found and discussed with respect to possible application in batteries, i.e. practical discharging potential limit. The best results in terms of capacity recovered under 1 V and high rate capability were also obtained for samples synthesized at 1300 °C.

Recent developments in graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, J.E.

1983-01-01

Overall, the HTGR graphite situation is in excellent shape. In both of the critical requirements, fuel blocks and support structures, adequate graphites are at hand and improved grades are sufficiently far along in truncation. In the aerospace field, GraphNOL N3M permits vehicle performance with confidence in trajectories unobtainable with any other existing material. For fusion energy applications, no other graphite can simultaneously withstand both extreme thermal shock and neutron damage. Hence, the material promises to create new markets as well as to offer a better candidate material for existing applications

Braze Development of Graphite Fiber for Use in Phase Change Material Heat Sinks

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Gregory; Beringer, Woody; Gleason, Brian; Stephan, Ryan

2011-01-01

Hamilton Sundstrand (HS), together with NASA Johnson Space Center, developed methods to metallurgically join graphite fiber to aluminum. The goal of the effort was to demonstrate improved thermal conductance, tensile strength and manufacturability compared to existing epoxy bonded techniques. These improvements have the potential to increase the performance and robustness of phase change material heat sinks that use graphite fibers as an interstitial material. Initial work focused on evaluating joining techniques from four suppliers, each consisting of a metallization step followed by brazing or soldering of one inch square blocks of Fibercore graphite fiber material to aluminum end sheets. Results matched the strength and thermal conductance of the epoxy bonded control samples, so two suppliers were down-selected for a second round of braze development. The second round of braze samples had up to a 300% increase in strength and up to a 132% increase in thermal conductance over the bonded samples. However, scalability and repeatability proved to be significant hurdles with the metallization approach. An alternative approach was pursued which used a nickel braze allow to prepare the carbon fibers for joining with aluminum. Initial results on sample blocks indicate that this approach should be repeatable and scalable with good strength and thermal conductance when compared with epoxy bonding.

Fe_3C@carbon nanocapsules/expanded graphite as anode materials for lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, You-Guo; Lin, Xi-Le; Zhang, Xiao-Hui; Pan, Qi-Chang; Yan, Zhi-Xiong; Wang, Hong-Qiang; Chen, Jian-Jun; Li, Qing-Yu

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT: Fe_3C@carbonnanocapsules(*)/expanded graphite composite was successfully prepared by a new and facile method, including mix of starting materials and heat treatment of the precursor. It is featured by unique 3-D structure, where expanded graphite acts as scaffold to ensure a continuous entity, and Fe_3C particles coated by carbon nanocapsules are embedded intimately. The Fe_3C nanoparticles encased in carbon nanocapsules act as catalyst in the modification of SEI film during the cycles. The interesting 3-D architecture which aligns the conductivity paths in the planar direction with expanded graphite and in the axial direction with carbon nanocapsules minimizes the resistance and enhances the reversible capacity. The prepared composite exhibits a high reversible capacity and excellent rate performance as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. The composite maintains a reversible capacity of 1226.2 mAh/g after 75 cycles at 66 mA/g. When the current density increases to 200 mA/g, the reversible capacity maintains 451.5 mAh/g. The facile synthesis method and excellent electrochemical performances make the composite expected to be one of the most potential anode material for lithium ion batteries.

Correlation between some mechanical and physical properties of polycrystalline graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoda, Shinichi; Fujisaki, Katsuo

1982-01-01

Mechanical and physical properties of polycrystalline graphites, tensile strength, compressive strength, flexural strength, Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, electrical resistivity, volume fraction of porosity, and graphitisation were measured for ten brand graphites. Correlation between the mechanical and physical properties of the graphites were studied. Young's modulus and thermal expansion coefficient of the graphites depend on volume fraction of porosity. The Young's modulus of the graphites tended to increase with increasing the thermal expansion coefficient. For an anisotropic graphite, an interesting relationship between the Young's modulus E and the thermal expansion coefficient al pha was found in any specimen orientations; alpha E=constant. The value of alphah E was dependent upon the volume fraction of porosity. It should be noted here that the electrical resistivity increased with decreasing grain size. The flexural and the compressive strength were related with the volume fraction of porosity while the tensile strength was not, The relationships between the tensile, the compressive and the flexural strength can be approximately expressed as linear functions over a wide range of the stresses. (author)

Applications of graphite-enabled phase change material composites to improve thermal performance of cementitious materials

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Mingli; Lin, Zhibin; Wu, Lili; Wang, Jinhui; Gong, Na

2017-11-01

Enhancing the thermal efficiency to decrease the energy consumption of structures has been the topic of much research. In this study, a graphite-enabled microencapsulated phase change material (GE-MEPCM) was used in the production of a novel thermal energy storage engineered cementitious composite feathering high heat storage capacity and enhanced thermal conductivity. The surface morphology and particle size of the microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal properties of MEPCM was determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, thermal and mechanical properties of the cementitious mortar with different admixtures were explored and compared with those of a cementitious composite. It was shown that the latent heat of MEPCM was 162 J/g, offering much better thermal energy storage capacity to the cementitious composite. However, MEPCM was found to decrease the thermal conductivity of the composite, which can be effectively solved by adding natural graphite (NG). Moreover, the incorporation of MEPCM has a certain decrease in the compressive strength, mainly due to the weak interfaces between MEPCM and cement matrix.

THERMAL INSULATION PROPERTIES RESEARCH OF THE COMPOSITE MATERIAL WATER GLASS–GRAPHITE MICROPARTICLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Gostev

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Research results for the composite material (CM water glass–graphite microparticles with high thermal stability and thermal insulation properties are given. A composition consisting of graphite (42 % by weight, water glass Na2O(SiO2n (50% by weight and the hardener - sodium silicofluoric Na2SiF6 (8% by weight. Technology of such composition receipt is suggested. Experimental samples of the CM with filler particles (graphite and a few microns in size were obtained. This is confirmed by a study of samples by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The qualitative and quantitative phase analysis of the CM structure is done. Load limit values leading to the destruction of CM are identified. The character of the rupture surface is detected. Numerical values of specific heat and thermal conductivity are defined. Dependence of the specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity on temperature at monotonic heating is obtained experimentally. Studies have confirmed the increased thermal insulation properties of the proposed composition. CM with such characteristics can be recommended as a coating designed to reduce heat losses and resistant to high temperatures. Due to accessibility and low cost of its components the proposed material can be produced on an industrial scale.

Electrochemical treatment of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podlovilin, V.I.; Egorov, I.M.; Zhernovoj, A.I.

1983-01-01

In the course of investigating various modes of electroche-- mical treatment (ECT) it has been found that graphite anode treatment begins under the ''glow mode''. A behaviour of some marks of graphite with the purpose of ECT technique development in different electrolytes has been tested. Electrolytes have been chosen of three types: highly alkaline (pH 13-14), neutral (pH-Z) and highly acidic (pH 1-2). For the first time parallel to mechanical electroerosion treatment ECT graphite and carbon graphite materials previously considered chemically neutral is proposed. ECT of carbon graphite materials has a number of advantages as compared with electroerrosion and mechanical ones this is treatment rate and purity (ronghness) of the surface. A sMall quantity of sludge (6-8%) under ECT is in highly alkali electrolytes

Graphite intercalated polyaniline composite with superior anticorrosive and hydrophobic properties, as protective coating material on steel surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathnayake, R.M.N.M. [National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy (Sri Lanka); Graduate School of Engineering, Toyota Technological Institute, 2-12-1 Hisakata, Tempaku, Nagoya 468-8511 (Japan); Mantilaka, M.M.M.G.P.G. [Sri Lanka Institute of Nanotechnology, Nanotechnology and Science Park, Mahenwatte, Pitipana, Homagama (Sri Lanka); Hara, Masanori; Huang, Hsin-Hui [Graduate School of Engineering, Toyota Technological Institute, 2-12-1 Hisakata, Tempaku, Nagoya 468-8511 (Japan); Wijayasinghe, H.W.M.A.C., E-mail: athula@ifs.ac.lk [National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Kandy (Sri Lanka); Yoshimura, Masamichi [Graduate School of Engineering, Toyota Technological Institute, 2-12-1 Hisakata, Tempaku, Nagoya 468-8511 (Japan); Pitawala, H.M.T.G.A. [Department of Geology, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya (Sri Lanka)

2017-07-15

Highlights: • In this paper, it has been utilized a novel method to prepare a new composite material of PANI/NPG graphite composite, using NPG vein graphite variety. • It is found that the composite works as an anti-corrosive coating on steel surfaces. Further, the prepared composite shows good hydrophobic ability, which is very useful in preventing corrosion on metal surfaces. • The prepared PANI/NPG composite material shows a significantly high corrosion resistance compared to alkyd resin/PANI coatings or alkyd resin coatings, on steel surfaces. - Abstract: Solid polymer composite systems are widely being used for potential technological applications in secondary energy sources and electrochromic devices. In this study, we synthesized and characterized a composite material composed of polyaniline (PANI) and natural needle platy (NPG) vein graphite. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), micro-Raman analysis, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the structural and electrochemical properties of the prepared PANI/NPG graphite composite. XPS, FTIR, and micro-Raman analysis confirmed the existence of relevant functional groups and bonding in the prepared PANI/NPG composite material. The composite shows a very low corrosion rate, approximately 29 μm per year, and high hydrophobicity on steel surfaces, which helps to prevent the corrosion due to O{sub 2} penetration towards the metal surface. It indicates that the composite can be used as a high potential surface coating material to anticorrosion. The specific capacitance of PANI/NPG composite is 833.3 F g{sup −1}, which is higher than that of PANI. This synergistic electrical performance result proves the prepared PANI/NPG graphite composite as a suitable protective coating material for steel

High temperature tests for graphite materials

OpenAIRE

Zhmurikov, Evgenij

2015-01-01

This study was performed within the framework of the EURISOL for facilities SPIRAL-II (GANIL, France) and SPES (LNL, Italy), and aims to investigate the anticipated strength properties of fine-grained graphite at elevated temperatures. It appears that the major parameters that affect to the lifetime of a graphite target of this IP are the temperature and heating time. High temperature tests were conducted to simulate the heating under the influence of a beam of heavy particles by passing thro...

N-doped graphene/graphite composite as a conductive agent-free anode material for lithium ion batteries with greatly enhanced electrochemical performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guanghui, Wu; Ruiyi, Li; Zaijun, Li; Junkang, Liu; Zhiguo, Gu; Guangli, Wang

2015-01-01

Graphical abstract: The study reported a novel N-doped graphene/graphite anode material for lithium ion batteries. The composite exhibits a largely enhanced electrochemical performance. The study also provides an attractive approach for the fabrication of various graphite-based materials for high power batteries. Display Omitted -- Highlights: • The paper developed a new N-doped graphene/graphite composite for lithium ion battery • The composite contains a three-dimensional graphene framework with rich of open pores • The hybrid offers a higher electrical conductivity when compared with pristine graphite • The hybrid electrode provides a greatly enhanced electrochemical performance • The study provides a prominent approach for fabrication of graphite-based materials -- ABSTRACT: Present graphite anode cannot meet the increasing requirement of electronic devices and electric vehicles due to its low specific capacity, poor cycle stability and low rate capability. The study reported a promising N-doped graphene/graphite composite as a conductive agent-free anode material for lithium ion batteries. Herein, graphite oxide and urea were dispersed in ultrapure water and partly reduced by ascorbic acid. Followed by mixing with graphite and hydrothermal treatment to produce graphene oxide/graphite hydrogel. The hydrogel was dried and finally annealed in Ar/H 2 to obtain N-doped graphene/graphite composite. The result shows that all of graphite particles was dispersed in three-dimensional graphene framework with a rich of open pores. The open pore accelerates the electrolyte transport. The graphene framework works as a conductive agent and graphite particle connector and improves the electron transfer. Electrical conductivity of the composite reaches 5912 S m −1 , which is much better than that of the pristine graphite (4018 S m −1 ). The graphene framework also acts as an expansion absorber in the anodes of lithium ion battery to relieve the large strains

Progress in radioactive graphite waste management. Additional information

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-06-01

Radioactive graphite constitutes a major waste stream which arises during the decommissioning of certain types of nuclear installations. Worldwide, a total of around 250 000 tonnes of radioactive graphite, comprising graphite moderators and reflectors, will require management solutions in the coming years. 14 C is the radionuclide of greatest concern in nuclear graphite; it arises principally through the interaction of reactor neutrons with nitrogen, which is present in graphite as an impurity or in the reactor coolant or cover gas. 3 H is created by the reactions of neutrons with 6 Li impurities in graphite as well as in fission of the fuel. 36 Cl is generated in the neutron activation of chlorine impurities in graphite. Problems in the radioactive waste management of graphite arise mainly because of the large volumes requiring disposal, the long half-lives of the main radionuclides involved and the specific properties of graphite - such as stored Wigner energy, graphite dust explosibility and the potential for radioactive gases to be released. Various options for the management of radioactive graphite have been studied but a generally accepted approach for its conditioning and disposal does not yet exist. Different solutions may be appropriate in different cases. In most of the countries with radioactive graphite to manage, little progress has been made to date in respect of the disposal of this material. Only in France has there been specific thinking about a dedicated graphite waste-disposal facility (within ANDRA): other major producers of graphite waste (UK and the countries of the former Soviet Union) are either thinking in terms of repository disposal or have no developed plans. A conference entitled 'Solutions for Graphite Waste: a Contribution to the Accelerated Decommissioning of Graphite Moderated Nuclear Reactors' was held at the University of Manchester 21-23 March 2007 in order to stimulate progress in radioactive graphite waste management

Design of the Graphite Reflectors in Research Reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jin Haeng; Cho, Yeong Garp; Kim, Tae Kyu; Kim, Jong In [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

Graphite is often used as one of reflector materials for research reactors because of its low neutron absorption cross-section, good moderating properties, and relatively low and stable price. In addition, graphite has excellent properties at high temperatures, so it is widely used as a core material in high temperature reactors. However, its material characteristics such as strength, elastic modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, dimensional change, and thermal conductivity sensitively depend on neutron fluence, temperature, and its manufacturing process. In addition, the Wigner energy and the treatment of the graphite waste such as C-14 should also be considered. For the design of the graphite reflectors, it is therefore essential to understand the material characteristics of chosen graphite materials at given conditions. Especially, the dimensional changes and the thermal conductivity are very important factors to design the nuclear components using graphite as a nonstructural material. Hence, in this study, the material characteristics of graphite are investigated via some experiments in literature. Improving design methods for graphite reflectors in research reactors are then suggested to minimize the problems, and the advantages and disadvantages of each method are also discussed

Electrochemical treatment of graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podlovilin, V.I.; Egorov, I.M.; Zhernovoj, A.I.

1983-01-01

In the course of investigating various modes of electrochemical treatment (ECT) it has been found that graphite anode treatment begins under the ''glow mode''. A behaviour of some marks of graphite with the purpose of ECT technique development in different electrolytes has been tested. Electrolytes have been chosen of three types: highly alkaline (pH 13-14), neutral (pH-Z) and highly acidic (pH 1-2). For the first time parallel to mechanical electroerosion treatment, ECT of graphite and carbon graphite materials previously considered chemically neutral is proposed. ECT of carbon graphite materials has a number of advantages as compared with electroerrosion and mechanical ones with respect to the treatment rate and purity (ronghness) of the surface. A small quantity of sludge (6-8%) under ECT is in highly alkali electrolytes.

Fracture criterion for brittle materials based on statistical cells of finite volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cords, H.; Kleist, G.; Zimmermann, R.

1986-06-01

An analytical consideration of the Weibull Statistical Analysis of brittle materials established the necessity of including one additional material constant for a more comprehensive description of the failure behaviour. The Weibull analysis is restricted to infinitesimal volume elements in consequence of the differential calculus applied. It was found that infinitesimally small elements are in conflict with the basic statistical assumption and that the differential calculus is not needed in fact since nowadays most of the stress analyses are based on finite element calculations, and these are most suitable for a subsequent statistical analysis of strength. The size of a finite statistical cell has been introduced as the third material parameter. It should represent the minimum volume containing all statistical features of the material such as distribution of pores, flaws and grains. The new approach also contains a unique treatment of failure under multiaxial stresses. The quantity responsible for failure under multiaxial stresses is introduced as a modified strain energy. Sixteen different tensile specimens including CT-specimens have been investigated experimentally and analyzed with the probabilistic fracture criterion. As a result it can be stated that the failure rates of all types of specimens made from three different grades of graphite are predictable. The accuracy of the prediction is one standard deviation. (orig.) [de

Heat exchanger using graphite foam

Science.gov (United States)

Campagna, Michael Joseph; Callas, James John

2012-09-25

A heat exchanger is disclosed. The heat exchanger may have an inlet configured to receive a first fluid and an outlet configured to discharge the first fluid. The heat exchanger may further have at least one passageway configured to conduct the first fluid from the inlet to the outlet. The at least one passageway may be composed of a graphite foam and a layer of graphite material on the exterior of the graphite foam. The layer of graphite material may form at least a partial barrier between the first fluid and a second fluid external to the at least one passageway.

Graphite for fusion energy applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eatherly, W.P.; Clausing, R.E.; Strehlow, R.A.; Kennedy, C.R.; Mioduszewski, P.K.

1987-03-01

Graphite is in widespread and beneficial use in present fusion energy devices. This report reflects the view of graphite materials scientists on using graphite in fusion devices. Graphite properties are discussed with emphasis on application to fusion reactors. This report is intended to be introductory and descriptive and is not intended to serve as a definitive information source

Performance of AC/graphite capacitors at high weight ratios of AC/graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hongyu [IM and T Ltd., Advanced Research Center, Saga University, 1341 Yoga-machi, Saga 840-0047 (Japan); Yoshio, Masaki [Advanced Research Center, Department of Applied Chemistry, Saga University, 1341 Yoga-machi, Saga 840-0047 (Japan)

2008-03-01

The effect of negative to positive electrode materials' weight ratio on the electrochemical performance of both activated carbon (AC)/AC and AC/graphite capacitors has been investigated, especially in the terms of capacity and cycle-ability. The limited capacity charge mode has been proposed to improve the cycle performance of AC/graphite capacitors at high weight ratios of AC/graphite. (author)

A graphite nanoeraser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Ze; Bøggild, Peter; Yang, Jia-rui

2011-01-01

We present here a method for cleaning intermediate-size (up to 50 nm) contamination from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and graphene. Electron-beam-induced deposition of carbonaceous material on graphene and graphite surfaces inside a scanning electron microscope, which is difficult to remove...... by conventional techniques, can be removed by direct mechanical wiping using a graphite nanoeraser, thus drastically reducing the amount of contamination. We discuss potential applications of this cleaning procedure....

Comparison of Material Behavior of Matrix Graphite for HTGR Fuel Elements upon Irradiation: A literature Survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young-Woo; Yeo, Seunghwan; Cho, Moon Sung [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The fuel elements for the HTGRs (i.e., spherical fuel element in pebble-bed type core design and fuel compact in prismatic core design) consists of coated fuel particles dispersed and bonded in a closely packed array within a carbonaceous matrix. This matrix is generally made by mixing fully graphitized natural and needle- or pitchcoke originated powders admixed with a binder material (pitch or phenolic resin), The resulting resinated graphite powder mixture, when compacted, may influence a number of material properties as well as its behavior under neutron irradiation during reactor operation. In the fabrication routes of these two different fuel element forms, different consolidation methods are employed; a quasi-isostatic pressing method is generally adopted to make pebbles while fuel compacts are fabricated by uni-axial pressing mode. The result showed that the hardness values obtained from the two directions showed an anisotropic behavior: The values obtained from the perpendicular section showed much higher micro hardness (176.6±10.5MPa in average) than from the parallel section ((125.6±MPa in average). This anisotropic behavior was concluded to be related to the microstructure of the matrix graphite. This may imply that the uni-axial pressing method to make compacts influence the microstructure of the matrix and hence the material properties of the matrix graphite.

Hierarchical structure graphitic-like/MoS2 film as superlubricity material

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Zhenbin; Jia, Xiaolong; Ma, Wei; Zhang, Bin; Zhang, Junyan

2017-08-01

Friction and wear result in a great amount of energy loss and the invalidation of mechanical parts, thus it is necessary to minimize friction in practical application. In this study, the graphitic-like/MoS2 films with hierarchical structure were synthesized by the combination of pulse current plasma chemical-vapor deposition and medium frequency unbalanced magnetron sputtering in preheated environment. This hierarchical structure composite with multilayer nano sheets endows the films excellent tribological performance, which easily achieves macro superlubricity (friction coefficient ∼0.004) under humid air. Furthermore, it is expected that hierarchical structure of graphitic-like/MoS2 films could match the requirements of large scale, high bear-capacity and wear-resistance of actual working conditions, which could be widely used in the industrial production as a promising superlubricity material.

Carbon-14 Graphitization Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, James; Collon, Philippe; Laverne, Jay

2014-09-01

Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is a process that allows for the analysis of mass of certain materials. It is a powerful process because it results in the ability to separate rare isotopes with very low abundances from a large background, which was previously impossible. Another advantage of AMS is that it only requires very small amounts of material for measurements. An important application of this process is radiocarbon dating because the rare 14C isotopes can be separated from the stable 14N background that is 10 to 13 orders of magnitude larger, and only small amounts of the old and fragile organic samples are necessary for measurement. Our group focuses on this radiocarbon dating through AMS. When performing AMS, the sample needs to be loaded into a cathode at the back of an ion source in order to produce a beam from the material to be analyzed. For carbon samples, the material must first be converted into graphite in order to be loaded into the cathode. My role in the group is to convert the organic substances into graphite. In order to graphitize the samples, a sample is first combusted to form carbon dioxide gas and then purified and reduced into the graphite form. After a couple weeks of research and with the help of various Physics professors, I developed a plan and began to construct the setup necessary to perform the graphitization. Once the apparatus is fully completed, the carbon samples will be graphitized and loaded into the AMS machine for analysis.

Rate-dependent mode I interlaminar crack growth mechanisms in graphite/epoxy and graphite/PEEK

Science.gov (United States)

Gillespie, J. W., Jr.; Carlsson, L. A.; Smiley, A. J.

1987-01-01

In this paper the mode I fracture behavior of graphite/epoxy and graphite/PEEK composites is examined over four decades of crosshead rates (0.25-250 mm/min). Straight-sided double-cantilever-beam specimens consisting of unidirectional laminates were tested at room temperature. For graphite/epoxy the load-deflection response was linear to fracture, and stable slow crack growth initiating at the highest load level was observed for all rates tested. In contrast, mode I crack growth in the graphite/PEEK material was often unstable and showed stick-slip behavior. Subcritical crack growth occurring prior to the onset of fracture was observed at intermediate displacement rates. A mechanism for the fracture behavior of the graphite/PEEK material (based on viscoelastic, plastic, and microcrack coalescence in the process zone) is proposed and related to the observed rate-dependent phenomena.

Determination of gold and cobalt dopants in advanced materials based on tin oxide by slurry sampling high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Filatova, Daria G.; Eskina, Vasilina V.; Baranovskaya, Vasilisa B.; Vladimirova, Svetlana A.; Gaskov, Alexander M.; Rumyantseva, Marina N.; Karpov, Yuri A.

2018-02-01

A novel approach is developed for the determination of Co and Au dopants in advanced materials based on tin oxide using high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (HR CS GFAAS) with direct slurry sampling. Sodium carboxylmethylcellulose (Na-CMC) is an effective stabilizer for diluted suspensions. Use Na-CMC allows to transfer the analytes into graphite furnace completely and reproducibly. The relative standard deviation obtained by HR CS GFAAS was not higher than 4%. Accuracy was proven by means inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in solutions after decomposition as a comparative technique. To determine Au and Co in the volume of SnO2, the acid decomposition conditions (HCl, HF) of the samples were suggested by means of an autoclave in a microwave oven.

Effect of the graphite electrode material on the characteristics of molten salt electrolytically produced carbon nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamali, Ali Reza; Schwandt, Carsten; Fray, Derek J.

2011-01-01

The electrochemical erosion of a graphite cathode during the electrolysis of molten lithium chloride salt may be used for the preparation of nano-structured carbon materials. It has been found that the structures and morphologies of these carbon nanomaterials are dependent on those of the graphite cathodes employed. A combination of tubular and spherical carbon nanostructures has been produced from a graphite with a microstructure of predominantly planar micro-sized grains and a minor fraction of more irregular nano-sized grains, whilst only spherical carbon nanostructures have been produced from a graphite with a microstructure of primarily nano-sized grains. Based on the experimental results, a best-fit regression equation is proposed that relates the crystalline domain size of the graphite reactants and the carbon products. The carbon nanomaterials prepared possess a fairly uniform mesoporosity with a sharp peak in pore size distribution at around 4 nm. The results are of crucial importance to the production of carbon nanomaterials by way of the molten salt electrolytic method. - Highlights: → Carbon nanomaterials are synthesised by LiCl electrolysis with graphite electrodes. → The degree of crystallinity of graphite reactant and carbon product are related. → A graphite reactant is identified that enables the preparation of carbon nanotubes. → The carbon products possess uniform mesoporosity with narrow pore size distribution.

EEL Calculations and Measurements of Graphite and Graphitic-CNx Core-Losses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seepujak, A; Bangert, U; Harvey, A J; Blank, V D; Kulnitskiy, B A; Batov, D V

2006-01-01

Core EEL spectra of MWCNTs (multi-wall carbon nanotubes) grown in a nitrogen atmosphere were acquired utilising a dedicated STEM equipped with a Gatan Enfina system. Splitting of the carbon K-edge π* resonance into two peaks provided evidence of two nondegenerate carbon bonding states. In order to confirm the presence of a CN x bonding state, a full-potential linearised augmented plane-wave method was utilised to simulate core EEL spectra of graphite and graphitic-CN x compounds. The simulations confirmed splitting of the carbon K-edge π* resonance in graphitic-CN x materials, with the pristine graphite π* resonance remaining unsplit. The simulations also confirmed the increasing degree of amorphicity with higher concentrations (25%) of substitutional nitrogen in graphite

Bromine intercalated graphite for lightweight composite conductors

KAUST Repository

Amassian, Aram

2017-07-20

A method of fabricating a bromine-graphite/metal composite includes intercalating bromine within layers of graphite via liquid-phase bromination to create brominated-graphite and consolidating the brominated-graphite with a metal nanopowder via a mechanical pressing operation to generate a bromine-graphite/metal composite material.

Plastic strain caused by contraction of pores in polycrystalline graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioka, Ikuo; Yoda, Shinichi; Konishi, Takashi.

1989-01-01

The effects of porosity on mechanical properties and deformation behavior of four isotropic polycrystalline graphites were studied. The pore size distributions of the graphites were measured using a conventional mercury penetration technique. The average pore radius of ISO-88 graphite was about one-tenth of that of ISEM-1, IG-11 or IG-15 graphites. Young's modulus of the graphites decreased with increasing porosity. The stress-strain curve of each graphite was measured in its lateral and axial directions. Young's modulus of graphite decreased with increasing load. The plastic strain at a given compressive load was calculated from the stress-strain curve and the initial gradient of the unloading curve at the load. The ratio of lateral plastic strain to axial plastic strain for the graphites was less than 0.5, indicating that the volume of the graphites decreased during compressive loading. By assuming that the volume change was caused by contraction of pores, plastic strain associated with contraction of pores was calculated from the axial plastic strain and lateral plastic strain by slips along the basal planes. The plastic strain increased with increasing axial plastic strain and porosity of graphite. (author)

ICP-MS determination of boron: method optimization during preparation of graphite reference material for boron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granthali, S.K.; Shailaja, P.P.; Mainsha, V.; Venkatesh, K.; Kallola, K.S.; Sanjukta, A.K.

2017-01-01

Graphite finds widespread use in nuclear reactors as moderator, reflector, and fuel fabricating components because of its thermal stability and integrity. The manufacturing process consists of various mixing, moulding and baking operations followed by heat-treatment between 2500 °C and 3000 °C. The high temperature treatment is required to drive the amorphous carbon-to-graphite phase transformation. Since synthetic graphite is processed at high temperature, impurity concentrations in the precursor carbon get significantly reduced due to volatilization. However boron may might partly gets converted into boron carbide at high temperatures in the carbon environment of graphite and remains stable (B_4C: boiling point 3500 °C) in the matrix. Literature survey reveals the use of various methods for determination of boron. Previously we have developed a method for determination of boron in graphite electrodes using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method involves removal of graphite matrix by ignition of the sample at 800°C in presence of saturated barium hydroxide solution to prevent the loss of boron. Here we are reporting a modification in the method by using calcium carbonate in place of barium hydroxide and using beryllium (Be) as an internal standard, which resulted in a better precession. The method was validated by spike recovery experiments as well as using another technique viz. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). The modified method was applied in evaluation of boron concentration in the graphite reference material prepared

Nondestructive evaluation of nuclear-grade graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Kunerth, D. C.; McJunkin, T. R.

2012-05-01

The material of choice for the core of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactors being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Next Generation Nuclear Plant Program is graphite. Graphite is a composite material whose properties are highly dependent on the base material and manufacturing methods. In addition to the material variations intrinsic to the manufacturing process, graphite will also undergo changes in material properties resulting from radiation damage and possible oxidation within the reactor. Idaho National Laboratory is presently evaluating the viability of conventional nondestructive evaluation techniques to characterize the material variations inherent to manufacturing and in-service degradation. Approaches of interest include x-ray radiography, eddy currents, and ultrasonics.

Preparation and characterization of flake graphite/silicon/carbon spherical composite as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai Jun; Guo Huajun; Wang Zhixing; Li Xinhai; Zhang Xiaoping; Wu Feixiang; Yue Peng

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Flake graphite/silicon/carbon composite is synthesized via spray drying. ► Flake graphite of ∼0.5 μm and glucose are used to prepare the composite. ► The as-prepared composite shows spherical and porous appearance. ► The composite shows nearly the same cycleability as commercial graphite in 20 cycles. ► The composite shows a reversible capacity of 552 mAh/g at the 20th cycle. - Abstract: Using nano-Si, glucose and flake graphite of ∼0.5 μm as raw materials, flake graphite/silicon/carbon composite is successfully synthesized via spray drying and subsequent pyrolysis. The samples are characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and electrochemical measurements. The composite is composed of flake graphite, nano-Si and amorphous glucose-pyrolyzed carbon and presents good spherical appearance. Some micron pores arising from the decomposition of glucose exist on the surface of the composite particles. The composite has a high reversible capacity of 602.7 mAh/g with an initial coulombic efficiency of 69.71%, and shows nearly the same cycleability as the commercial graphite in 20 cycles. Both the glucose-pyrolyzed carbon and the micron pores play important roles in improving the cycleability of the composite. The flake graphite/silicon/carbon composite electrode is a potential alternative to graphite for high energy-density lithium ion batteries.

Bearingless helicopter main rotor development. Volume 2: Combined load fatigue evaluation of weathered graphite/epoxy composite

Science.gov (United States)

Rackiewicz, J. J.

1977-01-01

Small scale combined load fatigue tests were conducted on six artificially and six naturally weathered test specimens. The test specimen material was unidirectionally oriented A-S graphite - woven glass scrim epoxy resin laminate.

New graphite/salt materials for high temperature energy storage. Phase change properties study; Nouveaux materiaux graphite/sel pour le stockage d'energie a haute temperature. Etude des proprietes de changement de phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez, J

2007-07-15

This work is a contribution to the study of new graphite/salt composites dedicated to high temperature energy storage ({>=}200 C). The aim is to analyse and to understand the influence of both graphite and composite microstructure on the phase change properties of salts. This PhD is carried out within the framework of two projects: DISTOR (European) and HTPSTOCK (French). The major contributions of this work are threefold: 1) An important database (solid-liquid phase change properties) is provided from the DSC analysis of six salts and the corresponding composites. 2) Rigorous modeling of salts melting in confined media in several geometries are proposed to understand why, during the first melting of the compression elaborated composites, problems of salt leakage are observed. These models show that the materials morphology is responsible for these phenomena: the graphite matrix restrains the volume expansion due to salt melting: salt melts under pressure, which leads to a melting on a large temperature range and to a loss of energy density. Sensitivity analysis of parameters (geometric and physic) shows that matrix rigidity modulus is the parameter on which it is necessary to act during the composites elaboration to blur this phenomenon. 3) Finally, this work proposes a thermodynamic formulation of both surface/interface phenomena and the presence of dissolved impurities being able to explain a melting point lowering. It seems that the melting point lowering observed ({approx} 5 C) are mainly due to the presence of dissolved impurities (brought by graphite) in the liquid, along with an additional Gibbs-Thomson effect ({approx} 1 C, related to the size of the clusters crystals). (author)

New composites graphite/salt for high temperature thermal energy storage: From elaboration to development of thermal characterization methods for orthotropic conductive materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acem, Zoubir

2007-01-01

This PhD is carried out within the framework of DISTOR (European) and HTPSTOCK (French) projects, which have for objective to conceive and study new graphite/salt composites dedicated to high temperature energy storage (>200 deg. C). She is split into two distinct part. The first one focused mainly on works linked with elaboration and thermal characterisation of these new composites. The different composites ways of elaboration (Dispersion, uniaxial compression, isostatic) associated to the different kind of graphite (Natural expanded graphite (ENG), synthetic graphite) investigated during the PhD are presented. The results of the thermal characterization campaign of these composites are also presented and permit to highlight the impact of graphite in the thermal behaviour of studied materials. Based on these results, modelling studies of the evolution of the thermal conductivity have been undertaken to deepen the understanding of the effect of graphite (quantity, size of particles) on the effective conductivity composites. The second one describes the thermal characterization devices and associated thermo-kinetics models which had to be developed and adapted to the specificities of newly developed materials. This concerns mainly the materials prepared by compression, which present orthotropic properties and are difficult to reproduce. So, the characterization of this kind of material is very difficult and tedious. That is why we are committed to develop and adapt existing methods of characterization to allow the complete thermal characterisation of an orthotropic conductive material from a single experimentation on a single sample. (author) [fr

Graphene-graphite oxide field-effect transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Standley, Brian; Mendez, Anthony; Schmidgall, Emma; Bockrath, Marc

2012-03-14

Graphene's high mobility and two-dimensional nature make it an attractive material for field-effect transistors. Previous efforts in this area have used bulk gate dielectric materials such as SiO(2) or HfO(2). In contrast, we have studied the use of an ultrathin layered material, graphene's insulating analogue, graphite oxide. We have fabricated transistors comprising single or bilayer graphene channels, graphite oxide gate insulators, and metal top-gates. The graphite oxide layers show relatively minimal leakage at room temperature. The breakdown electric field of graphite oxide was found to be comparable to SiO(2), typically ~1-3 × 10(8) V/m, while its dielectric constant is slightly higher, κ ≈ 4.3. © 2012 American Chemical Society

A nano-graphite/paraffin phase change material with high thermal conductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Min

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Paraffin and NG formed a nanoscale compound. ► The thermal conductivity increased gradually with the content of NG. ► The thermal conductivity of the material containing 10% NG were 0.9362 W/m K. - Abstract: Nano-graphite (NG)/paraffin composites were prepared as composite phase change materials. NG has the function of improving the thermal conductivity of the composite. The microstructure and thermal properties of the materials were examined with environmental scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that the NG layers were randomly dispersed in the paraffin, and the thermal conductivity increased gradually with the content of NG. Thermal conductivity of the material containing 10% NG were 0.9362 W/m K

Special graphites; Graphites speciaux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leveque, P [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1964-07-01

A large fraction of the work undertaken jointly by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) and the Pechiney Company has been the improvement of the properties of nuclear pile graphite and the opening up of new fields of graphite application. New processes for the manufacture of carbons and special graphites have been developed: forged graphite, pyro-carbons, high density graphite agglomeration of graphite powders by cracking of natural gas, impervious graphites. The physical properties of these products and their reaction with various oxidising gases are described. The first irradiation results are also given. (authors) [French] Ameliorer les proprietes du graphite nucleaire pour empilements et ouvrir de nouveaux domaines d'application au graphite constituent une part importante de l'effort entrepris en commun par le Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) et la compagnie PECHINEY. Des procedes nouveaux de fabrication de carbones et graphites speciaux ont ete mis au point: graphite forge, pyrocarbone, graphite de haute densite, agglomeration de poudres de graphite par craquage de gaz naturel, graphites impermeables. Les proprietes physiques de ces produits ainsi que leur reaction avec differents gaz oxydants sont decrites. Les premiers resultats d'irradiation sont aussi donnes. (auteurs)

Method of producing exfoliated graphite, flexible graphite, and nano-scaled graphene platelets

Science.gov (United States)

Zhamu, Aruna; Shi, Jinjun; Guo, Jiusheng; Jang, Bor Z.

2010-11-02

The present invention provides a method of exfoliating a layered material (e.g., graphite and graphite oxide) to produce nano-scaled platelets having a thickness smaller than 100 nm, typically smaller than 10 nm. The method comprises (a) dispersing particles of graphite, graphite oxide, or a non-graphite laminar compound in a liquid medium containing therein a surfactant or dispersing agent to obtain a stable suspension or slurry; and (b) exposing the suspension or slurry to ultrasonic waves at an energy level for a sufficient length of time to produce separated nano-scaled platelets. The nano-scaled platelets are candidate reinforcement fillers for polymer nanocomposites. Nano-scaled graphene platelets are much lower-cost alternatives to carbon nano-tubes or carbon nano-fibers.

Carbon-14 in neutron-irradiated graphite for graphite-moderated reactors. Joint research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujii, Kimio [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment; Matsuo, Hideto [Radioactive Waste Management and Nuclear Facility Decommissioning Technology Center, Tokyo (Japan)

2002-12-01

The graphite moderated gas cooled reactor operated by the Japan Atomic Power Company was stopped its commercial operation on March 1998, and the decommissioning process has been started. Graphite material is often used as the moderator and the reflector materials in the core of the gas cooled reactor. During the operation, a long life nuclide of {sup 14}C is generated in the graphite by several transmutation reactions. Separation of {sup 14}C isotope and the development of the separation method have been recognized to be critical issues for the decommissioning of the reactor core. To understand the current methodologies for the carbon isotope separation, literature on the subject was surveyed. Also, those on the physical and chemical behavior of {sup 14}C were surveyed. This is because the larger part of the nuclides in the graphite is produced from {sup 14}N by (n,p) reaction, and the location of them in the material tends to be different from those of the other carbon atoms. This report summarizes the result of survey on the open literature about the behavior of {sup 14}C and the separation methods, including the list of the literature on these subjects. (author)

Graphite in Science and Nuclear Technology

OpenAIRE

Zhmurikov, Evgenij

2015-01-01

This review is devoted to the application of graphite and graphite composites in the science and technology. Structure and electrical properties, technological aspects of producing of high-strength artificial graphite and dynamics of its destruction are considered. These type of graphite are traditionally used in the nuclear industry, so author concentrates on actual problems of application and testing of graphite materials in modern science and technology. Translated from chapters 1 of monog...

Preparation and characterization of flake graphite/silicon/carbon spherical composite as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lai Jun [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Guo Huajun, E-mail: Lai_jun_@126.com [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Wang Zhixing; Li Xinhai; Zhang Xiaoping; Wu Feixiang; Yue Peng [School of Metallurgical Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2012-07-25

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Flake graphite/silicon/carbon composite is synthesized via spray drying. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Flake graphite of {approx}0.5 {mu}m and glucose are used to prepare the composite. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The as-prepared composite shows spherical and porous appearance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The composite shows nearly the same cycleability as commercial graphite in 20 cycles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The composite shows a reversible capacity of 552 mAh/g at the 20th cycle. - Abstract: Using nano-Si, glucose and flake graphite of {approx}0.5 {mu}m as raw materials, flake graphite/silicon/carbon composite is successfully synthesized via spray drying and subsequent pyrolysis. The samples are characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM and electrochemical measurements. The composite is composed of flake graphite, nano-Si and amorphous glucose-pyrolyzed carbon and presents good spherical appearance. Some micron pores arising from the decomposition of glucose exist on the surface of the composite particles. The composite has a high reversible capacity of 602.7 mAh/g with an initial coulombic efficiency of 69.71%, and shows nearly the same cycleability as the commercial graphite in 20 cycles. Both the glucose-pyrolyzed carbon and the micron pores play important roles in improving the cycleability of the composite. The flake graphite/silicon/carbon composite electrode is a potential alternative to graphite for high energy-density lithium ion batteries.

Synthesis of soluble graphite and graphene.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, K F; Billups, W E

2013-01-15

Because of graphene's anticipated applications in electronics and its thermal, mechanical, and optical properties, many scientists and engineers are interested in this material. Graphene is an isolated layer of the π-stacked hexagonal allotrope of carbon known as graphite. The interlayer cohesive energy of graphite, or exfoliation energy, that results from van der Waals attractions over the interlayer spacing distance of 3.34 Å (61 meV/C atom) is many times weaker than the intralayer covalent bonding. Since graphene itself does not occur naturally, scientists and engineers are still learning how to isolate and manipulate individual layers of graphene. Some researchers have relied on the physical separation of the sheets, a process that can sometimes be as simple as peeling of sheets from crystalline graphite using Scotch tape. Other researchers have taken an ensemble approach, where they exploit the chemical conversion of graphite to the individual layers. The typical intermediary state is graphite oxide, which is often produced using strong oxidants under acidic conditions. Structurally, researchers hypothesize that acidic functional groups functionalize the oxidized material at the edges and a network of epoxy groups cover the sp(2)-bonded carbon network. The exfoliated material formed under these conditions can be used to form dispersions that are usually unstable. However, more importantly, irreversible defects form in the basal plane during oxidation and remain even after reduction of graphite oxide back to graphene-like material. As part of our interest in the dissolution of carbon nanomaterials, we have explored the derivatization of graphite following the same procedures that preserve the sp(2) bonding and the associated unique physical and electronic properties in the chemical processing of single-walled carbon nanotubes. In this Account, we describe efficient routes to exfoliate graphite either into graphitic nanoparticles or into graphene without

Management of radioactive waste in nuclear power: handling of irradiated graphite from water-cooled graphite reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anfimov, S.S.

2000-01-01

As a result of decommissioning of water-cooled graphite-moderated reactors, a large amount of rad-waste in the form of graphite stack fragments is generated (on average 1500-2000 tons per reactor). That is why it is essentially important, although complex from the technical point of view, to develop advanced technologies based on up-to-date remotely-controlled systems for unmanned dismantling of the graphite stack containing highly-active long-lived radionuclides and for conditioning of irradiated graphite (IG) for the purposes of transportation and subsequent long term and ecologically safe storage either on NPP sites or in special-purpose geological repositories. The main characteristics critical for radiation and nuclear hazards of the graphite stack are as follows: the graphite stack is contaminated with nuclear fuel that has gotten there as a result of the accidents; the graphite mass is 992 tons, total activity -6?104 Ci (at the time of unit shutdown); the fuel mass in the reactor stack amounts to 100-140 kg, as estimated by IPPE and RDIPE, respectively; γ-radiation dose rate in the stack cells varies from 4 to 4300 R/h, with the prevailing values being in the range from 50 to 100 R/h. In this paper the traditional methods of rad-waste handling as bituminization technology, cementing technology are discussed. In terms of IG handling technology two lines were identified: long-term storage of conditioned IG and IG disposal by means of incineration. The specific cost of graphite immobilization in a radiation-resistant polymeric matrix amounts to -2600 USD per 1 t of graphite, whereas the specific cost of immobilization in slag-stone containers with an inorganic binder (cement) is -1400 USD per 1 t of graphite. On the other hand, volume of conditioned IG rad-waste subject for disposal, if obtained by means of the first technology, is 2-2.5 times less than the volume of rad-waste generated by means of the second technology. It can be concluded from the above that

Graphite content and isotopic fractionation between calcite-graphite pairs in metasediments from the Mgama Hills, Southern Kenya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arneth, J.D.; Schidlowski, M.; Sarbas, B.; Goerg, U.; Amstutz, G.C.

1985-01-01

Amphibolite-grade metasediments from the Mgama Hills region, Kenya, contain conspicuous quantities of graphite, most probably derived from organic progenitor materials,. The highest graphite contents are found in schists whereas calcite marbles intercalated in the sequence contain relatively low amounts. The graphitic constituents are consistently enriched in 13 C relative to common sedimentary organic material, with the highest isotopic ratios in graphite from the marbles. Carbon isotope fractionations between calcite and graphite mostly vary between 3.3 and 7.1 per mille, which comes close to both empirically recorded and thermodynamically calculated fractionations in the temperature range of the upper amphibolite facies. However, larger values occasionally encountered in the marbles suggest that complete isotopic equilibrium is not always attained in amphibolite-facies metamorphism. (author)

Collective modes in superconducting rhombohedral graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kauppila, Ville [O.V. Lounasmaa Laboratory, Aalto University (Finland); Hyart, Timo; Heikkilae, Tero [University of Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

2015-07-01

Recently it was realized that coupling particles with a Dirac dispersion (such as electrons in graphene) can lead to a topologically protected state with flat band dispersion. Such a state could support superconductivity with unusually high critical temperatures. Perhaps the most promising way to realize such coupling in real materials is in the surface of rhombohedrally stacked graphite. We consider collective excitations (i.e. the Higgs modes) in surface superconducting rhombohedral graphite. We find two amplitude and two phase modes corresponding to the two surfaces of the graphite where the superconductivity lives. We calculate the dispersion of these modes. We also derive the Ginzburg-Landau theory for this material. We show that in superconducting rhombohedral graphite, the collective modes, unlike in conventional BCS superconductors, give a large contribution to thermodynamic properties of the material.

Synthesis of partially graphitic ordered mesoporous carbons with high surface areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Wenjun; Wan, Ying [Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Resource Chemistry of Ministry of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234 (China); Dou, Yuqian; Zhao, Dongyuan [Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433 (China)

2011-01-01

Graphitic carbons with ordered mesostructure and high surface areas (of great interest in applications such as energy storage) have been synthesized by a direct triblock-copolymer-templating method. Pluronic F127 is used as a structure-directing agent, with a low-molecular-weight phenolic resol as a carbon source, ferric oxide as a catalyst, and silica as an additive. Inorganic oxides can be completely eliminated from the carbon. Small-angle XRD and N{sub 2} sorption analysis show that the resultant carbon materials possess an ordered 2D hexagonal mesostructure, uniform bimodal mesopores (about 1.5 and 6 nm), high surface area ({proportional_to}1300 m{sup 2}/g), and large pore volumes ({proportional_to}1.50 cm{sup 3}/g) after low-temperature pyrolysis (900 C). All surface areas come from mesopores. Wide-angle XRD patterns demonstrate that the presence of the ferric oxide catalyst and the silica additive lead to a marked enhancement of graphitic ordering in the framework. Raman spectra provide evidence of the increased content of graphitic sp{sup 2} carbon structures. Transmission electron microscopy images confirm that numerous domains in the ordered mesostructures are composed of characteristic graphitic carbon nanostructures. The evolution of the graphitic structure is dependent on the temperature and the concentrations of the silica additive, and ferric oxide catalyst. Electrochemical measurements performed on this graphitic mesoporous carbon when used as an electrode material for an electrochemical double layer capacitor shows rectangular-shaped cyclic voltammetry curves over a wide range of scan rates, even up to 200 mV/s, with a large capacitance of 155 F/g in KOH electrolyte. This method can be widely applied to the synthesis of graphitized carbon nanostructures. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

KNO3/NaNO3 - Graphite materials for thermal energy storage at high temperature: Part I. - Elaboration methods and thermal properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acem, Zoubir; Lopez, Jerome; Palomo Del Barrio, Elena

2010-01-01

Composites graphite/salt for thermal energy storage at high temperature (∼200 deg. C) have been developed and tested. As at low temperature in the past, graphite has been used to enhance the thermal conductivity of the eutectic system KNO 3 /NaNO 3 . A new elaboration method has been proposed as an alternative to graphite foams infiltration. It consists of cold-compression of a physical mixing of expanded natural graphite particles and salt powder. Two different compression routes have been investigated: uni-axial compression and isostatic compression. The first part of the paper has been devoted to the analysis of the thermal properties of these new graphite/salt composites. It is proven that cold-compression is a simple and efficient technique for improving the salt thermal conductivity. For instance, graphite amounts between 15 and 20%wt lead to apparent thermal conductivities close to 20 W/m/K (20 times greater than the thermal conductivity of the salt). Furthermore, some advantages in terms of cost and safety are expected because materials elaboration is carried out at room temperature. The second part of the paper is focused on the analyses of the phase transition properties of these graphite/salt composites materials.

Calculation of thermal stresses in graphite fuel blocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lejeail, Y.; Cabrillat, M.T.

2005-01-01

This paper presents a parametric study of temperature and thermal stress calculations inside a HTGR core graphite block, taking into account the effect of fluence on the thermal and mechanical properties, up to 4. 10 21 n/cm 2 . The Finite Element model, realized with Cast3M CEA code, includes the effects of irradiation creep, which tends to produce secondary stress relaxation. Then, the Weibull weakest link theory is recalled, evaluating the possible effects of volume, stress field distribution (loading factor), and multiaxiality for graphite-type materials, and giving the methodology to compare the stress to rupture for the structure to the one obtained from characterization, in the general case. The maximum of the Weibull stress in Finite Element calculations is compared to the value for tensile specimens. It is found that the maximum of the stress corresponds to the end of the irradiation cycle, after reactor shutdown, since both thermal conductivity and Young's modulus increase with time. However, this behaviour is partly counterbalanced by the increase of material strength with irradiation. (authors)

Intercomparison of graphite irradiations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hering, H; Perio, P; Seguin, M [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1959-07-01

While fast neutrons only are effective in damaging graphite, results of irradiations are more or less universally expressed in terms of thermal neutron fluxes. This paper attempts to correlate irradiations made in different reactors, i.e., in fluxes of different spectral compositions. Those attempts are based on comparison of 1) bulk length change and volume expansion, and 2) crystalline properties (e.g., lattice parameter C, magnetic susceptibility, stored energy, etc.). The methods used by various authors for determining the lattice constants of irradiated graphite are discussed. (author)

Some metal-graphite and metal-ceramic composites for use as high energy brake lining materials

Science.gov (United States)

Bill, R. C.

1974-01-01

Materials were studied as candidates for development as potential new aircraft brake lining materials. These families were (1) copper-graphite composites; (2) nickel-graphite composites; (3) copper - rare-earth-oxide (gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) or lanthanum oxide (La2O3)) composites and copper - rare-earth-oxide (La2O3) - rare-earth-fluoride (lanthanum fluoride (LaF3)) composites; (4) nickel - rare-earth-oxide composites and nickel - rare-earth-oxide - rare-earth-fluoride composites. For comparison purposes, a currently used metal-ceramic composite was also studied. Results showed that the nickel-Gd2O3 and nickel-La2O3-LaF3 composites were comparable or superior in friction and wear performance to the currently used composite and therefore deserve to be considered for further development.

The reaction of unirradiated and irradiated nuclear graphites with water vapor in helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imai, Hisashi; Nomura, Shinzo; Kurosawa, Takeshi; Fujii, Kimio; Sasaki, Yasuichi

1980-10-01

Nuclear graphites more than 10 brands were oxidized with water vapor in helium and then some selected graphites were irradiated with fast neutron in the Japan Materials Testing Reactor to clarify the effect of radiation damage of graphite on their reaction behaviors. The reaction was carried out under a well defined condition in the temperature range 800 -- 1000 0 C at concentrations of water vapor 0.38 -- 1.30 volume percent in helium flow of total pressure of 1 atm. The chemical reactivity of graphite irradiated at 1000 +- 50 0 C increased linearly with neutron fluence until irradiation of 3.2 x 10 21 n/cm 2 . The activation energy for the reaction was found to decrease with neutron fluence for almost all the graphites, except for a few ones. The order of reaction increased from 0.5 for the unirradiated graphite to 1.0 for the graphite irradiated up to 6.0 x 10 20 n/cm 2 . Experiment was also performed to study a superposed effect between the influence of radiation damage of graphite and the catalytic action of barium on the reaction rate, as well as the effect of catalyser of barium. It was shown that these effects were not superposed upon each other, although barium had a strong catalytic action on the reaction. (author)

Graphitized biogas-derived carbon nanofibers as anodes for lithium-ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuesta, Nuria; Cameán, Ignacio; Ramos, Alberto; García, Ana B.

2016-01-01

The electrochemical performance as potential anodes for lithium-ion batteries of graphitized biogas-derived carbon nanofibers (BCNFs) is investigated by galvanostatic cycling versus Li/Li + at different electrical current densities. These graphitic nanomaterials have been prepared by high temperature treatment of carbon nanofibers produced in the catalytic decomposition of biogas. At low current density, they deliver specific capacities comparable to that of oil-derived micrometric graphite, the capacity retention values being mostly in the range 70-80% and cycling efficiency ∼ 100%. A clear tendency of the anode capacity to increase alongside the BCNFs crystal thickness was observed. Besides the degree of graphitic tri-dimensional structural order, the presence of loops between the adjacent edges planes on the graphene layers, the mesopore volume and the active surface area of the graphitized BCNFs were found to influence on battery reversible capacity, capacity retention along cycling and irreversible capacity. Furthermore, provided that the development of the crystalline structure is comparable, the graphitized BCNFs studied show better electrochemical rate performance than micrometric graphite. Therefore, this result can be associated with the nanometric particle size as well as the larger surface area of the BCNFs which, respectively, reduces the diffusion time of the lithium ions for the intercalation/de-intercalation processes, i.e. faster charge-discharge rate, and increases the contact area at the anode active material/electrolyte interface which may improve the Li + ions access, i.e. charge transfer reaction.

Thermal Pyrolytic Graphite Enhanced Components

Science.gov (United States)

Hardesty, Robert E. (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A thermally conductive composite material, a thermal transfer device made of the material, and a method for making the material are disclosed. Apertures or depressions are formed in aluminum or aluminum alloy. Plugs are formed of thermal pyrolytic graphite. An amount of silicon sufficient for liquid interface diffusion bonding is applied, for example by vapor deposition or use of aluminum silicon alloy foil. The plugs are inserted in the apertures or depressions. Bonding energy is applied, for example by applying pressure and heat using a hot isostatic press. The thermal pyrolytic graphite, aluminum or aluminum alloy and silicon form a eutectic alloy. As a result, the plugs are bonded into the apertures or depressions. The composite material can be machined to produce finished devices such as the thermal transfer device. Thermally conductive planes of the thermal pyrolytic graphite plugs may be aligned in parallel to present a thermal conduction path.

Graphitic structure formation in ion implanted polyetheretherketone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tavenner, E., E-mail: tazman1492@gmail.com [Creative Polymers Pty. Ltd., 41 Wilkinson Street, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350 (Australia); Chemical Committee, Surface Chemical Analysis, Standards (Australia); Wood, B. [Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072 (Australia); Chemical Committee, Surface Chemical Analysis, Standards (Australia); Curry, M.; Jankovic, A.; Patel, R. [Center for Applied Science and Engineering, Missouri State University, 524 North Boonville Avenue, Springfield, MO 65806 (United States)

2013-10-15

Ion implantation is a technique that is used to change the electrical, optical, hardness and biocompatibility of a wide range of inorganic materials. This technique also imparts similar changes to organic or polymer based materials. With polymers, ion implantation can produce a carbon enriched volume. Knowledge as to the nature of this enrichment and its relative concentration is necessary to produce accurate models of the physical properties of the modified material. One technique that can achieve this is X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In this study the formation of graphite like structures in the near surface of polyetheretherketone by ion implantation has been elucidated from detailed analysis of the C 1s and valence band peak structures generated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Further evidence is given by both Rutherford backscatter spectroscopy and elastic recoil detection.

The influence of buoyant forces and volume fraction of particles on the particle pushing/entrapment transition during directional solidification of Al/SiC and Al/graphite composites

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanescu, Doru M.; Moitra, Avijit; Kacar, A. Sedat; Dhindaw, Brij K.

1990-01-01

Directional solidification experiments in a Bridgman-type furnace were used to study particle behavior at the liquid/solid interface in aluminum metal matrix composites. Graphite or siliconcarbide particles were first dispersed in aluminum-base alloys via a mechanically stirred vortex. Then, 100-mm-diameter and 120-mm-long samples were cast in steel dies and used for directional solidification. The processing variables controlled were the direction and velocity of solidification and the temperature gradient at the interface. The material variables monitored were the interface energy, the liquid/particle density difference, the particle/liquid thermal conductivity ratio, and the volume fraction of particles. These properties were changed by selecting combinations of particles (graphite or silicon carbide) and alloys (Al-Cu, Al-Mg, Al-Ni). A model which considers process thermodynamics, process kinetics (including the role of buoyant forces), and thermophysical properties was developed. Based on solidification direction and velocity, and on materials properties, four types of behavior were predicted. Sessile drop experiments were also used to determine some of the interface energies required in calculation with the proposed model. Experimental results compared favorably with model predictions.

Metal modified graphite. An innovative material for systems converting electro-chemical energy; Metallmodifizierter Graphit. Ein innovativer Werkstoff fuer Systeme zur elektrochemischen Energieumwandlung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayer, Peter

2007-07-23

The work deals with metal modification of graphite electrodes in a water-acid electrolyte solution. The target is to improve the catalytic properties of graphite electrodes as they are applied in redox storage batteries for storing electric energy. Different carbon and graphite materials were used and coated electro-chemically with different metals. After being coated with metal the graphite and carbon electrodes were investigated in terms of changing their catalytic properties by means of impedance measurements. It was shown, a metal coating without a prior activation with electro-chemical oxidation-reduction cycles only results in a low or zero increase of the catalytic properties. Investigations at the electrode material glass carbon showed, a prior activation of the electrode surface by means of electro-chemical oxidation-reduction cycles decreases the penetration resistance. The activation of the glass carbon surface prior to the surface coating with metal is favourable to the electro-chemical properties of the metal-modified electrode. All carbon types, which were used in this work, could be activated at a different level by means of electro-chemical oxidation-reduction cycles depending on the carbon type. The investigations further showed that the edge levels of the carbon were activated by means of the electro-chemical oxidation-reduction cycles. The metal precipitation favourably occurs at the activated positions. (orig.) [German] Die Arbeit befasst sich mit der Metallmodifizierung von Graphitelektroden in waessriger saurer Elektrolytloesung. Ziel ist es die katalytischen Eigenschaften von Graphitelektroden wie sie in Redoxspeicherbatterien zur Speicherung von elektrischer Energie eingesetzt werden zu verbessern. Fuer die Untersuchungen wurden unterschiedliche Kohlenstoff und Graphitmaterialien eingesetzt, die elektrochemisch mit verschiedenen Metallen belegt wurden. Die Graphit- und Kohlenstoffelektroden wurden nach der Metallbelegung durch

Mesostructure of graphite composite and its lifetime

OpenAIRE

Zhmurikov, Evgenij

2015-01-01

This review is devoted to the application of graphite and graphite composites in science and technology. Structure and electrical properties, as so technological aspects of producing of high strength artificial graphite and dynamics of its destruction are considered. These type of graphite are traditionally used in the nuclear industry. Generally, the review relies, on the original results and concentrates on actual problems of application and testing of graphite materials in modern nuclear p...

THE EFFECT OF APPLIED STRESS ON THE GRAPHITIZATION OF PYROLYTIC GRAPHITE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bragg, R H; Crooks, D D; Fenn, Jr, R W; Hammond, M L

1963-06-15

Metallographic and x-ray diffraction studies were made of the effect of applied stress at high temperature on the structure of pyrolytic graphite (PG). The dominant factor was whether the PG was above or below its graphitization temperature, which, in turn, was not strongly dependent on applied stress. Below the graphitization temperature, the PG showed a high proportion of disordered layers (0.9), a fairly large mean tilt angle (20 deg ) and a small crystailite size (La --150 A). Fracture occurred at low stress and strain and the materiai exhibited a high apparent Young's modulus ( approximates 4 x 10/sup 6/ psi). Above the graphitization temperature, graphitization was considerably enhanced by strain up to about 8%. The disorder parameter was decreased from a zero strain value of 0.3 to 0.l5 with strain, the mean tilt angle was decreased to 4 deg , and a fivefold increase in crystallite size occurred. When the strainenhanced graphitization was complete, the material exhibited a low apparent modulus ( approximates 0.5 x 10/sup 6/ psi) and large plastic strains (>100%) for a constant stress ( approximates 55 ksi). Graphitization was shown to be a spontaneous process that is promoted by breaking cross-links thermally, and the process is furthered by chemical attack and plastic strain. (auth)

Graphite nanoreinforcements in polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Fukushima, Hiroyuki

Nanocomposites composed of polymer matrices with clay reinforcements of less than 100 nm in size, are being considered for applications such as interior and exterior accessories for automobiles, structural components for portable electronic devices, and films for food packaging. While most nanocomposite research has focused on exfoliated clay platelets, the same nanoreinforcement concept can be applied to another layered material, graphite, to produce nanoplatelets and nanocomposites. Graphite is the stiffest material found in nature (Young's Modulus = 1060 GPa), having a modulus several times that of clay, but also with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. The key to utilizing graphite as a platelet nanoreinforcement is in the ability to exfoliate this material. Also, if the appropriate surface treatment can be found for graphite, its exfoliation and dispersion in a polymer matrix will result in a composite with not only excellent mechanical properties but electrical properties as well, opening up many new structural applications as well as non-structural ones where electromagnetic shielding and high thermal conductivity are requirements. In this research, a new process to fabricate exfoliated nano-scale graphite platelets was established (Patent pending). The size of the resulted graphite platelets was less than 1 um in diameter and 10 nm in thickness, and the surface area of the material was around 100 m2/g. The reduction of size showed positive effect on mechanical properties of composites because of the increased edge area and more functional groups attached with it. Also various surface treatment techniques were applied to the graphite nanoplatelets to improve the surface condition. As a result, acrylamide grafting treatment was found to enhance the dispersion and adhesion of graphite flakes in epoxy matrices. The resulted composites showed better mechanical properties than those with commercially available carbon fibers, vapor grown carbon fibers

Reinforcement of cement-based matrices with graphite nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Sadiq, Muhammad Maqbool

micro-scale fibers were used for comparison purposes at different volume fractions. Replicated mixes and tests were considered to provide the basis for statistically reliable inferences. Theoretical studies were conducted in order to develop insight into the reinforcement mechanisms of properly functionalized graphite nanomaterials. The results suggested that modified graphite nanomaterials improve the mechanical performance of cement-based matrices primarily through control of microcrack size and propagation, relying on their close spacing within matrix and dissipation of substantial energy by debonding and frictional pullout over their enormous surface areas. The gains in barrier qualities of cement-based materials with introduction of modified graphite nanomaterials could be attributed to the increased tortuosity of diffusion paths in the presence of closely spaced nanomaterials. Experimental investigations were designed and implemented towards identification of the optimum (nano- and micro-scale) reinforcement systems for high-performance concrete through RSA (Response Surface Analysis). A comprehensive experimental data base was developed on the mechanical, physical and durability characteristics as well as the structure and composition of high-performance cementitious nanocomposites reinforced with modified graphite nanomaterials and/ or different micro-fibers.

Principle design and data of graphite components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishihara, Masahiro; Sumita, Junya; Shibata, Taiju; Iyoku, Tatsuo; Oku, Tatsuo

2004-01-01

The High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) constructed by Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) is a graphite-moderated and helium-gas-cooled reactor with prismatic fuel elements of hexagonal blocks. The reactor internal structures of the HTTR are mainly made up of graphite components. As well known, the graphite is a brittle material and there were no available design criteria for brittle materials. Therefore, JAERI had to develop the design criteria taking account of the brittle fracture behavior. In this paper, concept and key specification of the developed graphite design criteria is described, and also an outline of the quality control specified in the design criteria is mentioned

Nuclear graphite ageing and turnaround

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsden, B.J.; Hall, G.N.; Smart, J.

2001-01-01

Graphite moderated reactors are being operated in many countries including, the UK, Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Japan. Many of these reactors will operate well into the next century. New designs of High Temperature Graphite Moderated Reactors (HTRS) are being built in China and Japan. The design life of these graphite-moderated reactors is governed by the ageing of the graphite core due to fast neutron damage, and also, in the case of carbon dioxide cooled reactors by the rate of oxidation of the graphite. Nuclear graphites are polycrystalline in nature and it is the irradiation-induced damage to the individual graphite crystals that determines the material property changes with age. The life of a graphite component in a nuclear reactor can be related to the graphite irradiation induced dimensional changes. Graphites typically shrink with age, until a point is reached where the shrinkage stops and the graphite starts to swell. This change from shrinkage to swelling is known as ''turnaround''. It is well known that pre-oxidising graphite specimens caused ''turnaround'' to be delayed, thus extending the life of the graphite, and hence the life of the reactor. However, there was no satisfactory explanation of this behaviour. This paper presents a numerical crystal based model of dimensional change in graphite, which explains the delay in ''turnaround'' in the pre-oxidised specimens irradiated in a fast neutron flux, in terms of crystal accommodation and orientation and change in compliance due to radiolytic oxidation. (author)

Acceptance test for graphite components and construction status of HTTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iyoku, T.; Ishihara, M.; Maruyama, S.; Shiozawa, S.; Tsuji, N.; Miki, T.

1996-01-01

In March, 1991, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) started to constructed the High Temperature engineering Test Reactor(HTTR) which is a 30-MW(thermal) helium gas-cooled reactor with a core composed of prismatic graphite blocks piled on the core support graphite structures. Two types of graphite materials are used in the HTTR. One is the garde IG-110, isotropic fine grain graphite, another is the grade PGX, medium-to-fine grained molded graphite. These materials were selected on the basis of the appropriate properties required by the HTTR reactor design. Industry-wide standards for an acceptance test of graphite materials used as main components of a nuclear reactor had not been established. The acceptance standard for graphite components of the HTTR, therefore, was drafted by JAERI and reviewed by specialists outside JAERI. The acceptance standard consists of the material testing, non-destructive examination such as the ultrasonic and eddy current testings, dimensional and visual inspections and assembly test. Ultrasonic and eddy current testings are applied to graphite logs to detect an internal flaw and to graphite components to detect a surface flaw, respectively. The assembly test is performed at the works, prior to their installation in the reactor pressure vessel, to examine fabricating precision of each component and alignment of piled-up structures. The graphite components of the HTTR had been tested on the basis of the acceptance standard. It was confirmed that the graphite manufacturing process was well controlled and high quality graphite components were provided to the HTTR. All graphite components except for the fuel graphite blocks are to be installed in the reactor pressure vessel of the HTTR in September 1995. The paper describes the construction status of the HTTR focusing on the graphite components. The acceptance test results are also presented in this paper. (author). Figs

Acoustic emission from polycrystalline graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioka, I.; Yoda, S.; Oku, T.; Miyamoto, Y.

1987-01-01

Acoustic emission was monitored from polycrystalline graphites with different microstructure (pore size and pore volume) subjected to compressive loading. The graphites used in this study comprised five brands, that is, PGX, ISEM-1, IG-11, IG-15, and ISO-88. A root mean square (RMS) voltage and event counts of acoustic emission for graphites were measured during compressive loading. The acoustic emission was measured using a computed-based data acquisition and analysis system. The graphites were first deformed up to 80 % of the average fracture stress, then unloaded and reloaded again until the fracture occured. During the first loading, the change in RMS voltage for acoustic emission was detected from the initial stage. During the unloading, the RMS voltage became zero level as soon as the applied stress was released and then gradually rose to a peak and declined. The behavior indicated that the reversed plastic deformation occured in graphites. During the second loading, the RMS voltage gently increased until the applied stress exceeded the maximum stress of the first loading; there is no Kaiser effect in the graphites. A bicrystal model could give a reasonable explanation of this results. The empirical equation between the ratio of σ AE to σ f and σ f was obtained. It is considered that the detection of microfracture by the acoustic emission technique is effective in macrofracture prediction of polycrystalline graphites. (author)

Continuous Carbon Nanotube-Ultrathin Graphite Hybrid Foams for Increased Thermal Conductivity and Suppressed Subcooling in Composite Phase Change Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Kholmanov, Iskandar; Kim, Jaehyun; Ou, Eric; Ruoff, Rodney S; Shi, Li

2015-12-22

Continuous ultrathin graphite foams (UGFs) have been actively researched recently to obtain composite materials with increased thermal conductivities. However, the large pore size of these graphitic foams has resulted in large thermal resistance values for heat conduction from inside the pore to the high thermal conductivity graphitic struts. Here, we demonstrate that the effective thermal conductivity of these UGF composites can be increased further by growing long CNT networks directly from the graphite struts of UGFs into the pore space. When erythritol, a phase change material for thermal energy storage, is used to fill the pores of UGF-CNT hybrids, the thermal conductivity of the UGF-CNT/erythritol composite was found to increase by as much as a factor of 1.8 compared to that of a UGF/erythritol composite, whereas breaking the UGF-CNT bonding in the hybrid composite resulted in a drop in the effective room-temperature thermal conductivity from about 4.1 ± 0.3 W m(-1) K(-1) to about 2.9 ± 0.2 W m(-1) K(-1) for the same UGF and CNT loadings of about 1.8 and 0.8 wt %, respectively. Moreover, we discovered that the hybrid structure strongly suppresses subcooling of erythritol due to the heterogeneous nucleation of erythritol at interfaces with the graphitic structures.

Effect of Graphite on the Properties of Natural Rubber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Auda jabber Braihi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Natural rubber-graphite composites (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 pphr graphite were prepared on a laboratory two-roll mill. Swelling measurements were used to evaluate the impacts of graphite on the properties of natural rubber. Swelling results showed that the volume fraction of natural rubber in the swollen gel, the interaction parameter, and the cross-link density decreased by increasing graphite loadings, while the average molecular weight of natural rubber between cross-links increased. Vulcanization results showed that only scorch time parameter increased with increasing graphite loadings, while other parameters (Max. torque, Min. torque, cure rate and cure rate index decreased. Both thermal and AC conductivities increased.

From spent graphite to amorphous sp2+sp3 carbon-coated sp2 graphite for high-performance lithium ion batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zhen; Zhuang, Yuchan; Deng, Yaoming; Song, Xiaona; Zuo, Xiaoxi; Xiao, Xin; Nan, Junmin

2018-02-01

Today, with the massive application of lithium ion batteries (LIBs) in the portable devices and electric vehicles, to supply the active materials with high-performances and then to recycle their wastes are two core issues for the development of LIBs. In this paper, the spent graphite (SG) in LIBs is used as raw materials to fabricate two comparative high-capacity graphite anode materials. Based on a microsurgery-like physical reconstruction, the reconstructed graphite (RG) with a sp2+sp3 carbon surface is prepared through a microwave exfoliation and subsequent spray drying process. In contrast, the neural-network-like amorphous sp2+sp3 carbon-coated graphite (AC@G) is synthesized using a self-reconfigurable chemical reaction strategy. Compared with SG and commercial graphite (CG), both RG and AC@G have enhanced specific capacities, from 311.2 mAh g-1 and 360.7 mAh g-1 to 409.7 mAh g-1 and 420.0 mAh g-1, at 0.1C after 100 cycles. In addition, they exhibit comparable cycling stability, rate capability, and voltage plateau with CG. Because the synthesis of RG and AC@G represents two typical physical and chemical methods for the recycling of SG, these results on the sp2+sp3 carbon layer coating bulk graphite also reveal an approach for the preparation of high-performance graphite anode materials derived from SG.

Theoretical analysis of the graphitization of a nanodiamond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, S Joon; Park, Jae-Gwan [Nano Science and Technology Division, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), PO Box 131, Cheongryang, Seoul, 130-650 (Korea, Republic of)

2007-09-26

We report on a theoretical analysis of the graphitization of a nanosize diamond (nanodiamond) in the metastable state. A nanodiamond annealed at a relatively lower temperature suffers morphological transition into a nanodiamond-graphite core-shell structure. Thermodynamic stability analysis of the nanodiamond showed that the phase diagram (relationship between the annealing temperature and radius) of the nanodiamond-graphite has three regimes: smaller nanodiamond, nanodiamond-graphite, and larger nanodiamond. These regimes of nanodiamond-graphite are due to an additional phase boundary from finding the maximum size of the nanodiamond which can be graphitized. In the theoretical analysis, the most probable and the maximum volume fractions of graphite in the nanodiamond were 0.76 and 0.84 respectively, which were independent of the annealing temperature and the initial radius of the nanodiamond. Therefore, the nanodiamond is not completely transformed into graphite by simple annealing at relatively lower process temperature and pressure. The highest graphitization probability decreased with increasing annealing temperature. Raman spectra for the F{sub 2g} vibration mode of nanodiamond were also calculated, and we found that the variation in properties of the spectral line was strongly dependent on the graphitization temperature and the initial size of the nanodiamond.

Theoretical analysis of the graphitization of a nanodiamond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, S Joon; Park, Jae-Gwan

2007-01-01

We report on a theoretical analysis of the graphitization of a nanosize diamond (nanodiamond) in the metastable state. A nanodiamond annealed at a relatively lower temperature suffers morphological transition into a nanodiamond-graphite core-shell structure. Thermodynamic stability analysis of the nanodiamond showed that the phase diagram (relationship between the annealing temperature and radius) of the nanodiamond-graphite has three regimes: smaller nanodiamond, nanodiamond-graphite, and larger nanodiamond. These regimes of nanodiamond-graphite are due to an additional phase boundary from finding the maximum size of the nanodiamond which can be graphitized. In the theoretical analysis, the most probable and the maximum volume fractions of graphite in the nanodiamond were 0.76 and 0.84 respectively, which were independent of the annealing temperature and the initial radius of the nanodiamond. Therefore, the nanodiamond is not completely transformed into graphite by simple annealing at relatively lower process temperature and pressure. The highest graphitization probability decreased with increasing annealing temperature. Raman spectra for the F 2g vibration mode of nanodiamond were also calculated, and we found that the variation in properties of the spectral line was strongly dependent on the graphitization temperature and the initial size of the nanodiamond

Gas transport in graphitic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoinkis, E.

1995-02-01

The characterization of the gas transport properties of porous solids is of interest in several fields of science and technology. Many catalysts, adsorbents, soils, graphites and carbons are porous. The gas transport through most porous solids can be well described by the dusty gas model invented by Evans, Watson and Mason. This model includes all modes of gas tranport under steady-state conditions, which are Knudsen diffusion, combined Knudsen/continuum diffusion and continuum diffusion, both for gas pairs with equal and different molecular weights. In the absence of a pressure difference gas transport in a pore system can be described by the combined Knudsen/continuum diffusion coefficient D 1 for component 1 in the pores, the Knudsen diffusion coefficient D 1K in the pores, and the continuum diffusion coefficient D 12 for a binary mixture in the pores. The resistance to stationary continuum diffusion of the pores is characterized by a geometrical factor (ε/τ) 12 = (ε/τ)D 12 , were D 12 is the continuum diffusion coefficient for a binary mixture in free space. The Wicke-Kallenbach method was often used to measure D 1 as function of pressure. D 12 and D 1K can be derived from a plot 1/D 1 νs P, and ε/τcan be calculated since D 12 is known. D 1K and the volume of dead end pores can be derived from transient measurements of the diffusional flux at low pressures. From D 1K the expression (ε/τ c ) anti l por may be calculated, which characterizes the pore system for molecular diffusion, where collisions with the pore walls are predominant. (orig.)

A microstructurally based fracture model for nuclear graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burchell, T.D.

1991-01-01

This paper reports the physical basis of, and assumptions behind, a fracture model for nuclear graphites. Microstructurally related inputs, such as filler particle size, filler particle fracture toughness (K Ic ), density, pore size distribution, number of pores and specimen geometry (size and volume), are utilized in the model. The model has been applied to two graphites, Great Lakes Carbon Corporation grade H-451 and Toyo Tanso grade IG-110. For each graphite, the predicted tensile failure probabilities are compared with experimental data generated using ASTM Standard C-749 tensile test specimens. The predicted failure probabilities are in close agreement with the experimental data, particularly in the case of the H-451. The model is also shown to qualitatively predict the influence on the failure probabilities of changes in filler particle size, density, pore size, pore size distribution, number of pores and specimen geometry (stressed volume). The good performance is attributed to the sound physical basis of the model, which recognizes the dominant role of porosity in controlling crack initiation and propagation during graphite fracture. 8 refs., 12 figs., 1 tab

Highly conductive bridges between graphite spheres to improve the cycle performance of a graphite anode in lithium-ion batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Hongyu [IM and T Ltd., Advanced Research Center, Saga University, Yoga-machi 1341, Saga 840-0047 (Japan); Umeno, Tatsuo; Mizuma, Koutarou [Research Center, Mitsui Mining Co. Ltd., Hibiki-machi 1-3, Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu 808-0021 (Japan); Yoshio, Masaki [Advanced Research Center, Saga University, Yoga-machi 1341, Saga 840-0047 (Japan)

2008-01-10

Spherical carbon-coated natural graphite (SCCNG) is a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries, but the smooth surface of graphite spheres is difficult to wet with an aqueous binder solution, and lacks electrical contacts. As a result, the cycle performance of such a graphite anode material is not satisfactory. An effective method has been introduced to tightly connect adjacent SCCNG particles by a highly conductive binder, viz. acetylene black bridges. The effect of the conductive bridges on the cyclability of SCCNG electrode has been investigated. (author)

Low cost sic coated erosion resistant graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zafar, M.F.; Nicholls, J.R.

2007-01-01

The development of materials with unique and improved properties using low cost processes is essential to increase performance and reduce cost of the solid rocket motors. Specifically advancements are needed for boost phase nozzle. As these motors operate at very high pressure and temperatures, the nozzle must survive high thermal stresses with minimal erosion to maintain performance. Currently three material choices are being exploited; which are refractory metals, graphite and carbon-carbon composites. Of these three materials graphite is the most attractive choice because of its low cost, light weight, and easy forming. However graphite is prone to erosion, both chemical and mechanical, which may affect the ballistic conditions and mechanical properties of the nozzle. To minimize this erosion high density graphite is usually preferred; which is again very expensive. Another technique used to minimize the erosion is Pyrolytic Graphite (PG) coating inside the nozzle. However PG coating is prone to cracking and spallation along with very cumbersome deposition process. Another possible methodology to avoid this erosion is to convert the inside surface of the rocket nozzle to Silicon Carbide (SiC), which is very erosion resistant and have much better thermal stability compared to graphite and even PG. Due to its functionally gradient nature such a layer will be very adherent and resistant to spallation. The current research is focused on synthesizing, characterizing and oxidation testing of such a converted SiC layer on commercial grade graphite. (author)

From Core to Capture: Graphite Management by Gasification and Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goodwin, J.; Bradbury, D.; Black, S.; Tomlinson, T.; Livesey, B.; Robinson, J.; Lindberg, M.; Newton, C.; Jones, A.; Wickham, A.

2016-01-01

Radioactive graphite waste arises principally from the moderators of graphite/gas-cooled reactors at the end of life of the reactors. Commercial power producing reactors (for example, Magnox, AGR and RBMK) have graphite moderators, each containing several thousand tonnes of graphite, with the UK having the largest inventory of over 90,000 tonnes. Additionally, there are smaller quantities of graphite arising from other sources such as fuel element components. The current long term strategy for management of reactor graphite in the UK is for these wastes to be conditioned for disposal followed by transfer to a geological disposal facility (GDF). With this baseline position, these wastes will account for about 30% of the ILW inventory in a GDF. As the volume of the graphite waste is so large, it is not currently economic to retrieve and process the graphite in advance of the availability of a geological disposal facility. Recent work by the NDA has ascribed a much smaller “incremental” volume of 2% due to graphite, calculated on the basis that the GDF has to be a certain size anyway in order to dissipate the decay heat from high level waste

Temperature distribution in graphite during annealing in air cooled reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliveira Avila, C.R. de.

1989-01-01

A model for the evaluation temperature distributions in graphite during annealing operation in graphite. Moderated an-cooled reactors, is presented. One single channel and one dimension for air and graphite were considered. A numerical method based on finite control volumes was used for partioning the mathematical equations. The problem solution involves the use of unsteady equations of mass, momentum and energy conservation for air, and energy conservation for graphite. The source term was considered as stored energy release during annealing for describing energy conservation in the graphite. The coupling of energy conservation equations in air and graphite is performed by the heat transfer term betwen air and graphite. The results agree with experimental data. A sensitivity analysis shown that the termal conductivity of graphite and the maximum inlet channel temperature have great effect on the maximum temperature reached in graphite during the annealing. (author)

Effects of Oxidation on Oxidation-Resistant Graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Windes, William [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Smith, Rebecca [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Carroll, Mark [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2015-05-01

The Advanced Reactor Technology (ART) Graphite Research and Development Program is investigating doped nuclear graphite grades that exhibit oxidation resistance through the formation of protective oxides on the surface of the graphite material. In the unlikely event of an oxygen ingress accident, graphite components within the VHTR core region are anticipated to oxidize so long as the oxygen continues to enter the hot core region and the core temperatures remain above 400°C. For the most serious air-ingress accident which persists over several hours or days the continued oxidation can result in significant structural damage to the core. Reducing the oxidation rate of the graphite core material during any air-ingress accident would mitigate the structural effects and keep the core intact. Previous air oxidation testing of nuclear-grade graphite doped with varying levels of boron-carbide (B4C) at a nominal 739°C was conducted for a limited number of doped specimens demonstrating a dramatic reduction in oxidation rate for the boronated graphite grade. This report summarizes the conclusions from this small scoping study by determining the effects of oxidation on the mechanical strength resulting from oxidation of boronated and unboronated graphite to a 10% mass loss level. While the B4C additive did reduce mechanical strength loss during oxidation, adding B4C dopants to a level of 3.5% or more reduced the as-fabricated compressive strength nearly 50%. This effectively minimized any benefits realized from the protective film formed on the boronated grades. Future work to infuse different graphite grades with silicon- and boron-doped material as a post-machining conditioning step for nuclear components is discussed as a potential solution for these challenges in this report.

X-Ray Researches GF Siliconized Materials on Pyrocarbon Sheaf and on the Basis of Graphite of Mark EG-0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurin, V.A.; Gurin, I.V.; Kovtun, G.P.; Malykhin, D.G.; Bukolov, A.N.

2005-01-01

A methodological addition to a quantitative analysis of binary phase structure of materials on measurements of X-ray lines intensities worked out conformably to research of siliconized graphitic materials. Distinctions in X-rays absorption factors of phase components at a various degree of phases mixture are taken into account. An apparatus of the probability theory is applied. A parameter of mixture degree of phases is submitted as a specific area size of interphase. Quantitative X-ray researches of a phase structure of siliconized materials are carried out on the basis of carbon fabrics and graphitic powders; both were sheafed by pyrocarbon. In examined samples structures C-SiC and SiC-Si were obtained. The correlation of the phase structure of materials with the apparent density of the initial carbon basis is seen. The opportunity of a practical obtaining of materials with the host degree of their siliconizing is confirmed

Some equipment for graphite research in swimming pool reactors; Quelques dispositifs d'etude du graphite dans les piles piscines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seguin, M; Arragon, Ph; Dupont, G; Gentil, J; Tanis, G [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Grenoble (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1964-07-01

The irradiation devices described are used for research concerning reactors of the natural uranium type, moderated by graphite and cooled by carbon dioxide. The devices are generally designed for use in swimming pool reactors. The following points have been particularly studied: - maximum use of the irradiation volume, - use of the simplest technological solutions, - standardization of certain constituent parts. This standardization calls for precision machining and careful assembling; these requirements are also true when a relatively low irradiation temperature is required and the nuclear heating is pronounced. Finally, the design of these devices is suitable for the irradiation of other fissile or non-fissile materials. (authors) [French] Les dispositifs d'irradiation decrits servent aux etudes relatives a la filiere des reacteurs a uranium naturel, moderes au graphite et refroidis par le gaz carbonique. Ils sont generalement concus pour etre utilises dans des piles piscines. L'accent a ete mis sur: - l'utilisation au maximum du volume d'irradiation, - le recours aux solutions technologiques les plus simples, - la standardisation de certaines parties constitutives. Cette standardisation impose un usinage precis et un montage soigne, lesquels sont egalement necessaires lorsqu'on doit obtenir une temperature d'irradiation relativement basse alors que l'echauffement nucleaire est important. Enfin, la conception de ces dispositifs est valable pour irradier d'autres materiaux non fissiles ou fissiles. (auteurs)

Separation medium containing thermally exfoliated graphite oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'homme, Robert K. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor); Herrera-Alonso, Margarita (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A separation medium, such as a chromatography filling or packing, containing a modified graphite oxide material, which is a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 m.sup.2/g to 2600 m.sup.2/g, wherein the thermally exfoliated graphite oxide has a surface that has been at least partially functionalized.

Design Procedure of Graphite Components by ASME HTR Codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Ji-Ho; Jo, Chang Keun [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

In this study, the ASME B and PV Code, Subsection HH, Subpart A, design procedure for graphite components of HTRs was reviewed and the differences from metal materials were remarked. The Korean VHTR has a prismatic core which is made of multiple graphite blocks, reflectors, and core supports. One of the design issues is the assessment of the structural integrity of the graphite components because the graphite is brittle and shows quite different behaviors from metals in high temperature environment. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) issued the latest edition of the code for the high temperature reactors (HTR) in 2015. In this study, the ASME B and PV Code, Subsection HH, Subpart A, Graphite Materials was reviewed and the special features were remarked. Due the brittleness of graphites, the damage-tolerant design procedures different from the conventional metals were adopted based on semi-probabilistic approaches. The unique additional classification, SRC, is allotted to the graphite components and the full 3-D FEM or equivalent stress analysis method is required. In specific conditions, the oxidation and viscoelasticity analysis of material are required. The fatigue damage rule has not been established yet.

Design Procedure of Graphite Components by ASME HTR Codes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Ji-Ho; Jo, Chang Keun

2016-01-01

In this study, the ASME B and PV Code, Subsection HH, Subpart A, design procedure for graphite components of HTRs was reviewed and the differences from metal materials were remarked. The Korean VHTR has a prismatic core which is made of multiple graphite blocks, reflectors, and core supports. One of the design issues is the assessment of the structural integrity of the graphite components because the graphite is brittle and shows quite different behaviors from metals in high temperature environment. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) issued the latest edition of the code for the high temperature reactors (HTR) in 2015. In this study, the ASME B and PV Code, Subsection HH, Subpart A, Graphite Materials was reviewed and the special features were remarked. Due the brittleness of graphites, the damage-tolerant design procedures different from the conventional metals were adopted based on semi-probabilistic approaches. The unique additional classification, SRC, is allotted to the graphite components and the full 3-D FEM or equivalent stress analysis method is required. In specific conditions, the oxidation and viscoelasticity analysis of material are required. The fatigue damage rule has not been established yet

Preparation of Sulfur-Free Exfoliated Graphite by a Two-Step Intercalation Process and Its Application for Adsorption of Oils

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun He

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The sulfur-free exfoliated graphite (EG was prepared by a two-step chemical oxidation process, using natural flake graphite (NFG as the precursor. The first chemical intercalation process was carried out at a temperature of 30°C for 50 min, with the optimum addition of NFG, potassium permanganate, and perchloric acid in a weight ratio of 1 : 0.4 : 10.56. Then, in the secondary intercalation step, dipotassium phosphate was employed as the intercalating agent to further increase the exfoliated volume (EV of EG. NFG, graphite intercalation compound (GIC, and EG were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM, energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS, X-ray diffractometer (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR, BET surface area, and porosity analyzer. Also, the uptakes of crude oil, diesel oil, and gasoline by EG were determined. Results show that perchloric acid and hydrogen phosphate are validated to enter into the interlayer of graphite flake. The obtained EG possesses a large exfoliated volume (EV and has an excellent affinity to oils; thus, the material has rapid adsorption rates and high adsorption capacities for crude oil, diesel oil, and gasoline.

Nickel cobalt oxide nanowire-reduced graphite oxide composite material and its application for high performance supercapacitor electrode material.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xu; Yan, Chaoyi; Sumboja, Afriyanti; Lee, Pooi See

2014-09-01

In this paper, we report a facile synthesis method of mesoporous nickel cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4) nanowire-reduced graphite oxide (rGO) composite material by urea induced hydrolysis reaction, followed by sintering at 300 degrees C. P123 was used to stabilize the GO during synthesis, which resulted in a uniform coating of NiCo2O4 nanowire on rGO sheet. The growth mechanism of the composite material is discussed in detail. The NiCo2O4-rGO composite material showed an outstanding electrochemical performance of 873 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) and 512 F g(-1) at 40 A g(-1). This method provides a promising approach towards low cost and large scale production of supercapacitor electrode material.

Unique graphitized mesophase carbon microbead@niobium carbide-derived carbon composites as high performance anode materials of lithium-ion battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yuan, Xiulan; Cong, Ye; Yu, Yanyan; Li, Xuanke; Zhang, Jiang; Dong, Zhijun; Yuan, Guanming; Cui, Zhengwei; Li, Yanjun

2017-01-01

To meet the requirements of the energy storage materials for high energy density and high power density, unique niobium carbide-derived carbon (NbC-CDC) coated graphitized mesophase carbon microbead (GMCMB) composites (GMCMB@NbC-CDC) with core-shell structure were prepared by chlorinating the precursor of graphitization mesophase carbon microbead@niobium carbide. The microstructure of NbC-CDC was characterized as mainly amorphous carbon combined with short and curved sheets of graphene, and the order degree of carbon layers increases with the chlorination temperature. The composites exhibited a tunable specific surface area and micropore volume, with micropore size of 0.6∼0.7 nm. Compared with the pure GMCMB, the GMCMB@NbC-CDC composites manifested higher charge (726.9 mAh g"−"1) and discharge capacities (458.9 mAh g"−"1) at the first cycle, which was probably that Li ions could insert into not only carbon layers of GMCMB but also micropores of NbC-CDC. After 100 cycles, the discharge capacity of GMCMB@NbC-CDC chlorinated at 800 °C still kept 384.6 mAh g"−"1, which was much higher than that of the pure GMCMB (305.2 mAh g"−"1). Furthermore, the GMCMB@NbC-CDC composites presented better rate performance at higher current densities.

Late-time particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harilal, S. S.; Hassanein, A.; Polek, M. [School of Nuclear Engineering, Center for Materials Under Extreme Environment, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States)

2011-09-01

We report a late-time ''fireworks-like'' particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma during its evolution. Plasmas were produced using graphite targets excited with 1064 nm Nd: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser in vacuum. The time evolution of graphite plasma was investigated using fast gated imaging and visible emission spectroscopy. The emission dynamics of plasma is rapidly changing with time and the delayed firework-like emission from the graphite target followed a black-body curve. Our studies indicated that such firework-like emission is strongly depended on target material properties and explained due to material spallation caused by overheating the trapped gases through thermal diffusion along the layer structures of graphite.

Late-time particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harilal, S. S.; Hassanein, A.; Polek, M.

2011-01-01

We report a late-time ''fireworks-like'' particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma during its evolution. Plasmas were produced using graphite targets excited with 1064 nm Nd: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser in vacuum. The time evolution of graphite plasma was investigated using fast gated imaging and visible emission spectroscopy. The emission dynamics of plasma is rapidly changing with time and the delayed firework-like emission from the graphite target followed a black-body curve. Our studies indicated that such firework-like emission is strongly depended on target material properties and explained due to material spallation caused by overheating the trapped gases through thermal diffusion along the layer structures of graphite.

Reduced graphite oxide in supercapacitor electrodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lobato, Belén; Vretenár, Viliam; Kotrusz, Peter; Hulman, Martin; Centeno, Teresa A

2015-05-15

The current energy needs have put the focus on highly efficient energy storage systems such as supercapacitors. At present, much attention focuses on graphene-like materials as promising supercapacitor electrodes. Here we show that reduced graphite oxide offers a very interesting potential. Materials obtained by oxidation of natural graphite and subsequent sonication and reduction by hydrazine achieve specific capacitances as high as 170 F/g in H2SO4 and 84F/g in (C2H5)4NBF4/acetonitrile. Although the particle size of the raw graphite has no significant effect on the physico-chemical characteristics of the reduced materials, that exfoliated from smaller particles (materials may suffer from a drop in their specific surface area upon fabrication of electrodes with features of the existing commercial devices. This should be taken into account for a reliable interpretation of their performance in supercapacitors. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Graphite oxidation and structural strength of graphite support column in VHTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Byung Ha; No, Hee Cheno; Kim, Eung Soo; Oh, Chang H.

2009-01-01

The air-ingress event by a large pipe break is an important accident considered in design of very high-temperature gas-cooled reactors (VHTR). Core-collapse prediction is a main safety issue. Structural failure model are technically required. The objective of this study is to develop structural failure model for the supporting graphite material in the lower plenum of the GT-MHR (gas-turbine-modular high temperature reactor). Graphite support column is important for VHTR structural integrity. Graphite support columns are under the axial load. Critical strength of graphite column is related to slenderness ratio and bulk density. Through compression tests for fresh and oxidized graphite columns we show that compressive strength of IG-110 was 79.46 MPa. And, the buckling strength of IG-110 column was expressed by the empirical formula: σ 0 =σ straight-line - C L/r, σ straight-line =91.31 MPa, C=1.01. The results of uniform and non-uniform oxidation tests show that the strength degradation of oxidized graphite column is expressed in the following non-dimensional form: σ/σ 0 =exp(-kd), k=0.111. Also, from the results of the uniform oxidation test with a complicated-shape column, we found out that the above non-dimensional equation obtained from the uniform oxidation test is applicable to a uniform oxidation case with a complicated-shape column. (author)

Effect of microstructure on mechanical properties and machinability of spheroidal graphite cast iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubota, Satoru; Iio, Chinori; Yamaguchi, Shoji; Naito, Daiki; Tomota, Yo; Stefanus, Harjo

2013-01-01

Tensile properties, fatigue strength and machinability of spheroidal graphite cast irons with different microstructures were studied. Work-hardening and tensile strength increased with increasing pearlite volume fraction. In situ neutron diffraction during tensile deformation revealed that phase stresses and intergranular stresses are generated with deformation resulting in high work-hardening and high tensile strength with increasing pearlite volume fraction. It was found that graphite grains bear almost no stress, and strongly influence fatigue crack initiation as well as propagation. Therefore graphite refinement is very effective to realize high fatigue strength. The tool life for cutting becomes shorter with increasing pearlite volume fraction. The balance of mechanical properties and machinability was considered. (author)

Chemical vapor deposition of tantalum on graphite cloth for making hot pressed fiber reinforced carbide-graphite composite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollabaugh, C.M.; Davidson, K.V.; Radosevich, C.L.; Riley, R.E.; Wallace, T.C.

1977-01-01

Conditions for the CVD of a uniform coating of Ta on fibers of a woven graphite cloth were established. The effect of gas composition, pressure, and temperature were investigated, and the conditions that gave the desired results are presented. Several layers of the coated cloth were hot pressed to produce a TaC--C composite having uniformly dispersed, fine-grained TaC in graphite. Three compositions were hot pressed: 15, 25, and 40 volume percent carbide. 8 figures, 2 tables

Synthesis of graphene nanoplatelets from peroxosulfate graphite intercalation compounds

OpenAIRE

MELEZHYK A.V.; TKACHEV A.G.

2014-01-01

Ultrasonic exfoliation of expanded graphite compound obtained by cold expansion of graphite intercalated with peroxodisulfuric acid was shown to allow the creation of graphene nanoplatelets with thickness of about 5-10 nm. The resulting graphene material contained surface oxide groups. The expanded graphite intercalation compound was exfoliated by ultrasound much easier than thermally expanded graphite. A mechanism for the cleavage of graphite to graphene nanoplatelets is proposed. It include...

Recent developments in graphite. [Use in HTGR and aerospace

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cunningham, J.E.

1983-01-01

Overall, the HTGR graphite situation is in excellent shape. In both of the critical requirements, fuel blocks and support structures, adequate graphites are at hand and improved grades are sufficiently far along in truncation. In the aerospace field, GraphNOL N3M permits vehicle performance with confidence in trajectories unobtainable with any other existing material. For fusion energy applications, no other graphite can simultaneously withstand both extreme thermal shock and neutron damage. Hence, the material promises to create new markets as well as to offer a better candidate material for existing applications.

Toxicological characterization of chemicals produced from laser irradiation of graphite composite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwan, J.

1990-11-01

One of the major potential hazards associated with laser machining of graphite composite materials is the toxic fumes and gases that are generated. When exposed to the intense energy of the laser beam, the organic polymer matrix of the composite material may decompose into various toxic by-products. To advance the understanding of the laser machining process from a health and safety viewpoint, this particular study consisted of the following steps: collect and analyze gaseous by-products generated during laser machining; collect particulates generated during laser machining and chemically extract them to determine the chemical species that may have absorbed or recondensed onto these particles; and review and evaluate the toxicity of the identified chemical species

Non-activated high surface area expanded graphite oxide for supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vermisoglou, E.C.; Giannakopoulou, T.; Romanos, G.E.; Boukos, N.; Giannouri, M. [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology “Demokritos”, 153 43 Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis (Greece); Lei, C.; Lekakou, C. [Division of Mechanical, Medical, and Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom); Trapalis, C., E-mail: c.trapalis@inn.demokritos.gr [Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology “Demokritos”, 153 43 Ag. Paraskevi, Attikis (Greece)

2015-12-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • One-step exfoliation and reduction of graphite oxide via microwave irradiation. • Effect of pristine graphite (type, flake size) on the microwave expanded material. • Effect of pretreatment and oxidation cycles on the produced expanded material. • Expanded graphene materials with high BET surface areas (940 m{sup 2}/g–2490 m{sup 2}/g). • Non-activated graphene based materials suitable for supercapacitors. - Abstract: Microwave irradiation of graphite oxide constitutes a facile route toward production of reduced graphene oxide, since during this treatment both exfoliation and reduction of graphite oxide occurs. In this work, the effect of pristine graphite (type, size of flakes), pretreatment and oxidation cycles on the finally produced expanded material was examined. All the types of graphite that were tested afforded materials with high BET surface areas ranging from 940 m{sup 2}/g to 2490 m{sup 2}/g, without intervening an activation stage at elevated temperature. SEM and TEM images displayed exfoliated structures, where the flakes were significantly detached and curved. The quality of the reduced graphene oxide sheets was evidenced both by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The electrode material capacitance was determined via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The materials with PEDOT binder had better performance (∼97 F/g) at low operation rates while those with PVDF binder performed better (∼20 F/g) at higher rates, opening up perspectives for their application in supercapacitors.

Oxidation behavior of IG and NBG nuclear graphites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Woong-Ki; Kim, Byung-Joo [Jeonju Institute of Machinery and Carbon Composites Palbokdong-2ga, 817, Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do 561-844 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Eung-Seon; Chi, Se-Hwan [Dept. of Nuclear Hydrogen Project, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Soo-Jin, E-mail: sjpark@inha.ac.k [Dept. of Chemistry, Inha Univ., 253, Nam-gu, Incheon 402-751 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-01-15

Graphical abstract: Water contact angles on nuclear graphite before and after oxidation treatments: the pictures show the contact angles obtained under deionized water on oxidation-treated and untreated nuclear graphite. The water contact angles are decreased after oxidation due to the increase in the hydrophilic. Display Omitted Research highlights: The average pore size of graphites shows an increase after the oxidation treatments. They also show that oxidation produces the surface functional groups on the graphite surfaces. The surface area of each graphite behaves in a unique manner. - Abstract: This work studies the oxidation-induced characteristics of four nuclear graphites (NBG-17, NBG-25, IG-110, and IG-430). The oxidation characteristics of the nuclear graphites were measured at 600 {sup o}C. The surface properties of the oxidation graphites were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle methods. The N{sub 2}/77 K adsorption isotherm characteristics, including the specific surface area and micropore volume, were investigated by means of BET and t-plot methods. The experimental results show an increase in the average pore size of graphites; they also show that oxidation produces the surface functional groups on the graphite surfaces. The surface area of each graphite behaves in a unique manner. For example the surface area of NBG-17 increases slightly whereas the surface area of IG-110 increases significantly. This result confirms that the original surface state of each graphite is unique.

Low temperature vapor phase digestion of graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pierce, Robert A.

2017-04-18

A method for digestion and gasification of graphite for removal from an underlying surface is described. The method can be utilized to remove graphite remnants of a formation process from the formed metal piece in a cleaning process. The method can be particularly beneficial in cleaning castings formed with graphite molding materials. The method can utilize vaporous nitric acid (HNO.sub.3) or vaporous HNO.sub.3 with air/oxygen to digest the graphite at conditions that can avoid damage to the underlying surface.

A graphite foam reinforced by graphite particles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, J.J.; Wang, X.Y.; Guo, L.F.; Wang, Y.M.; Wang, Y.P.; Yu, M.F.; Lau, K.T.T. [DongHua University, Shanghai (China). College of Material Science and Engineering

2007-11-15

Graphite foam was obtained after carbonization and graphitization of a pitch foam formed by the pyrolysis of coal tar based mesophase pitch mixed with graphite particles in a high pressure and temperature chamber. The graphite foam possessed high mechanical strength and exceptional thermal conductivity after adding the graphite particles. Experimental results showed that the thermal conductivity of modified graphite foam reached 110W/m K, and its compressive strength increased from 3.7 MPa to 12.5 MPa with the addition of 5 wt% graphite particles. Through the microscopic observation, it was also found that fewer micro-cracks were formed in the cell wall of the modified foam as compared with pure graphite foam. The graphitization degree of modified foam reached 84.9% and the ligament of graphite foam exhibited high alignment after carbonization at 1200{sup o}C for 3 h and graphitization at 3000{sup o}C for 10 min.

AGC-2 Graphite Preirradiation Data Analysis Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William Windes; W. David Swank; David Rohrbaugh; Joseph Lord

2013-08-01

This report described the specimen loading order and documents all pre-irradiation examination material property measurement data for the graphite specimens contained within the second Advanced Graphite Capsule (AGC-2) irradiation capsule. The AGC-2 capsule is the second in six planned irradiation capsules comprising the Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) test series. The AGC test series is used to irradiate graphite specimens allowing quantitative data necessary for predicting the irradiation behavior and operating performance of new nuclear graphite grades to be generated which will ascertain the in-service behavior of the graphite for pebble bed and prismatic Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) designs. Similar to the AGC-1 specimen pre-irradiation examination report, material property tests were conducted on specimens from 18 nuclear graphite types but on an increased number of specimens (512) prior to loading into the AGC-2 irradiation assembly. All AGC-2 specimen testing was conducted at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) from October 2009 to August 2010. This report also details the specimen loading methodology for the graphite specimens inside the AGC-2 irradiation capsule. The AGC-2 capsule design requires “matched pair” creep specimens that have similar dose levels above and below the neutron flux profile mid-plane to provide similar specimens with and without an applied load. This document utilized the neutron flux profile calculated for the AGC-2 capsule design, the capsule dimensions, and the size (length) of the selected graphite and silicon carbide samples to create a stacking order that can produce “matched pairs” of graphite samples above and below the AGC-2 capsule elevation mid-point to provide specimens with similar neutron dose levels.

AGC-3 Graphite Preirradiation Data Analysis Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William Windes; David Swank; David Rohrbaugh; Joseph Lord

2013-09-01

This report describes the specimen loading order and documents all pre-irradiation examination material property measurement data for the graphite specimens contained within the third Advanced Graphite Capsule (AGC-3) irradiation capsule. The AGC-3 capsule is third in six planned irradiation capsules comprising the Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) test series. The AGC test series is used to irradiate graphite specimens allowing quantitative data necessary for predicting the irradiation behavior and operating performance of new nuclear graphite grades to be generated which will ascertain the in-service behavior of the graphite for pebble bed and prismatic Very High Temperature Reactor (VHTR) designs. The general design of AGC-3 test capsule is similar to the AGC-2 test capsule, material property tests were conducted on graphite specimens prior to loading into the AGC-3 irradiation assembly. However the 6 major nuclear graphite grades in AGC-2 were modified; two previous graphite grades (IG-430 and H-451) were eliminated and one was added (Mersen’s 2114 was added). Specimen testing from three graphite grades (PCEA, 2114, and NBG-17) was conducted at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and specimen testing for two grades (IG-110 and NBG-18) were conducted at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from May 2011 to July 2013. This report also details the specimen loading methodology for the graphite specimens inside the AGC-3 irradiation capsule. The AGC-3 capsule design requires "matched pair" creep specimens that have similar dose levels above and below the neutron flux profile mid-plane to provide similar specimens with and without an applied load. This document utilized the neutron flux profile calculated for the AGC-3 capsule design, the capsule dimensions, and the size (length) of the selected graphite and silicon carbide samples to create a stacking order that can produce "matched pairs" of graphite samples above and below the AGC-3 capsule elevation mid-point to

Graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Gilpin R.; Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Olson, Donald W.; Schulz, Klaus J.; DeYoung,, John H.; Seal, Robert R.; Bradley, Dwight C.

2017-12-19

Graphite is a form of pure carbon that normally occurs as black crystal flakes and masses. It has important properties, such as chemical inertness, thermal stability, high electrical conductivity, and lubricity (slipperiness) that make it suitable for many industrial applications, including electronics, lubricants, metallurgy, and steelmaking. For some of these uses, no suitable substitutes are available. Steelmaking and refractory applications in metallurgy use the largest amount of produced graphite; however, emerging technology uses in large-scale fuel cell, battery, and lightweight high-strength composite applications could substantially increase world demand for graphite.Graphite ores are classified as “amorphous” (microcrystalline), and “crystalline” (“flake” or “lump or chip”) based on the ore’s crystallinity, grain-size, and morphology. All graphite deposits mined today formed from metamorphism of carbonaceous sedimentary rocks, and the ore type is determined by the geologic setting. Thermally metamorphosed coal is the usual source of amorphous graphite. Disseminated crystalline flake graphite is mined from carbonaceous metamorphic rocks, and lump or chip graphite is mined from veins in high-grade metamorphic regions. Because graphite is chemically inert and nontoxic, the main environmental concerns associated with graphite mining are inhalation of fine-grained dusts, including silicate and sulfide mineral particles, and hydrocarbon vapors produced during the mining and processing of ore. Synthetic graphite is manufactured from hydrocarbon sources using high-temperature heat treatment, and it is more expensive to produce than natural graphite.Production of natural graphite is dominated by China, India, and Brazil, which export graphite worldwide. China provides approximately 67 percent of worldwide output of natural graphite, and, as the dominant exporter, has the ability to set world prices. China has significant graphite reserves, and

Electrochemical Ultracapacitors Using Graphitic Nanostacks

Science.gov (United States)

Marotta, Christopher

2012-01-01

Electrochemical ultracapacitors (ECs) have been developed using graphitic nanostacks as the electrode material. The advantages of this technology will be the reduction of device size due to superior power densities and relative powers compared to traditional activated carbon electrodes. External testing showed that these materials display reduced discharge response times compared to state-of-the-art materials. Such applications are advantageous for pulsed power applications such as burst communications (satellites, cell phones), electromechanical actuators, and battery load leveling in electric vehicles. These carbon nanostructures are highly conductive and offer an ordered mesopore network. These attributes will provide more complete electrolyte wetting, and faster release of stored charge compared to activated carbon. Electrochemical capacitor (EC) electrode materials were developed using commercially available nanomaterials and modifying them to exploit their energy storage properties. These materials would be an improvement over current ECs that employ activated carbon as the electrode material. Commercially available graphite nanofibers (GNFs) are used as precursor materials for the synthesis of graphitic nanostacks (GNSs). These materials offer much greater surface area than graphite flakes. Additionally, these materials offer a superior electrical conductivity and a greater average pore size compared to activated carbon electrodes. The state of the art in EC development uses activated carbon (AC) as the electrode material. AC has a high surface area, but its small average pore size inhibits electrolyte ingress/egress. Additionally, AC has a higher resistivity, which generates parasitic heating in high-power applications. This work focuses on fabricating EC from carbon that has a very different structure by increasing the surface area of the GNF by intercalation or exfoliation of the graphitic basal planes. Additionally, various functionalities to the GNS

Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Bulletin of Materials Science. Dong Zhang. Articles written in Bulletin of Materials Science. Volume 34 Issue 1 February 2011 pp 25-28. Aqueous colloids of graphene oxide nanosheets by exfoliation of graphite oxide without ultrasonication · Tian-You Zhang Dong Zhang · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF.

Graphite-graphite oxide composite electrode for vanadium redox flow battery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Wenyue; Liu Jianguo; Yan Chuanwei

2011-01-01

Highlights: → A new composite electrode is designed for vanadium redox flow battery (VRB). → The graphite oxide (GO) is used as electrode reactions catalyst. → The excellent electrode activity is attributed to the oxygen-containing groups attached on the GO surface. → A catalytic mechanism of the GO towards the redox reactions is presumed. - Abstract: A graphite/graphite oxide (GO) composite electrode for vanadium redox battery (VRB) was prepared successfully in this paper. The materials were characterized with X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The specific surface area was measured by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method. The redox reactions of [VO 2 ] + /[VO] 2+ and V 3+ /V 2+ were studied with cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results indicated that the electrochemical performances of the electrode were improved greatly when 3 wt% GO was added into graphite electrode. The redox peak currents of [VO 2 ] + /[VO] 2+ and V 3+ /V 2+ couples on the composite electrode were increased nearly twice as large as that on the graphite electrode, and the charge transfer resistances of the redox pairs on the composite electrode are also reduced. The enhanced electrochemical activity could be ascribed to the presence of plentiful oxygen functional groups on the basal planes and sheet edges of the GO and large specific surface areas introduced by the GO.

Cementation of Nuclear Graphite Using Geopolymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Girke, N.A.; Steinmetz, H-J.; Bukaemsky, A.; Bosbach, D.; Hermann, E.; Griebel, I.

2016-01-01

Geopolymers are solid aluminosilicate materials usually formed by alkali hydroxide or alkali silicate activation of solid precursors such as coal fly ash, calcined clay and/or metallurgical slag. Today the primary application of geopolymer technology is in the development of alternatives to Portland-based cements. Variations in the ratio of aluminium to silicon, and alkali to silicon or addition of structure support, produce geopolymers with different physical and mechanical properties. These materials have an amorphous three-dimensional structure that gives geopolymers certain properties, such as fire and acid resistance, low leach rate, which make them an ideal substitute for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in a wide range of applications especially in conditioning and storage of radioactive waste. Therefore investigations have been initiated on how and to which amount graphite as a hydrophobic material can be mixed with cement or concrete to form stable waste products and which concretes fulfil the necessary specifications best. As a result, geopolymers have been identified as a promising matrix for graphite containing nuclear wastes. With geopolymers, both favourable properties in the cementation process and a high long time structural stability of the products can be achieved. Investigations include: • direct mixing of graphite with geopolymers with or without sand as a mechanically stabilizing medium; • production of cement-graphite granulates as intermediate products and embedding of these granulates in geopolymer; • coating of formed graphite pieces with geopolymer.The report shows that carbon in the form of graphite can both be integrated with different grain size spectra as well as shaped in the hydraulic binder geopolymer and meets the requirements for a stable long-term immobilisation. (author)

Preparation of iron-deposited graphite surface for application as cathode material during electrochemical vat-dyeing process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anbu Kulandainathan, M.; Kiruthika, K.; Christopher, G.; Babu, K. Firoz; Muthukumaran, A.; Noel, M.

2008-01-01

Iron-deposited graphite surfaces were prepared, characterized and employed as cathode materials for electrochemical vat-dyeing process containing very low concentration of sodium dithionite. The electrodeposition, in presence of ammonium thiocyanate and gelatin or animal glue as binding additives, were found to give finer iron deposits for improved electrochemical dyeing application. The electrodeposits were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, electron-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction methods, before and after electrochemical dyeing process. The electrochemical activity of the iron-deposited graphite electrodes always stored in water seems to depend on the surface-bound Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ redox species. Vat dyes like C.I. Vat Violet 1, C.I. Vat Green 1 and C.I. Vat Blue 4 could be efficiently dyed employing these above electrode materials. The colour intensity and washing fastness of the dyed fabrics were found to be equal with conventionally dyed fabrics. The electrodes could also be reused for the dyeing process

Thermal Properties of G-348 Graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McEligot, Donald M. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Swank, W. David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Cottle, David L. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Valentin, Francisco I. [City Univ. (CUNY), NY (United States)

2017-04-01

Fundamental measurements have been obtained in the INL Graphite Characterization Laboratory to deduce the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity for G-348 isotropic graphite, which has been used by City College of New York in thermal experiments related to gas-cooled nuclear reactors. Measurements of thermal diffusivity, mass, volume and thermal expansion were converted to thermal conductivity in accordance with ASTM Standard Practice C781-08 (R-2014). Data are tabulated and a preliminary correlation for the thermal conductivity is presented as a function of temperature from laboratory temperature to 1000C.

Development of integrated waste management options for irradiated graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wareing, Alan; Abrahamsen-Mills, Liam; Fowler, Linda; Jarvis, Richard; Banford, Anthony William [National Nuclear Laboratory, Warrington (United Kingdom); Grave, Michael [Doosan Babcock, Gateshead (United Kingdom); Metcalfe, Martin [National Nuclear Laboratory, Gloucestershire (United Kingdom); Norris, Simon [Radioactive Waste Management Limited, Oxon (United Kingdom)

2017-08-15

The European Treatment and Disposal of Irradiated Graphite and other Carbonaceous Waste project sought to develop best practices in the retrieval, treatment, and disposal of irradiated graphite including other irradiated carbonaceous waste such as structural material made of graphite, nongraphitized carbon bricks, and fuel coatings. Emphasis was given on legacy irradiated graphite, as this represents a significant inventory in respective national waste management programs. This paper provides an overview of the characteristics of graphite irradiated during its use, primarily as a moderator material, within nuclear reactors. It describes the potential techniques applicable to the retrieval, treatment, recycling/reuse, and disposal of these graphite wastes. Considering the lifecycle of nuclear graphite, from manufacture to final disposal, a number of waste management options have been developed. These options consider the techniques and technologies required to address each stage of the lifecycle, such as segregation, treatment, recycle, and ultimate disposal in a radioactive waste repository, providing a toolbox to aid operators and regulators to determine the most appropriate management strategy. It is noted that national waste management programs currently have, or are in the process of developing, respective approaches to irradiated graphite management. The output of the Treatment and Disposal of Irradiated Graphite and other Carbonaceous Waste project is intended to aid these considerations, rather than dictate them.

Metal/graphite - composites in fusion engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staffler, R.; Kneringer, G.; Kny, E.; Reheis, N.

1995-01-01

Metal/graphite composites have been well known in medical industry for many years. X-ray tubes used in modern radiography, particulary in computerized tomography are equipped with rotating targets able to absorb a maximum of heat in a given time. Modern rotating targets consist of a refractory metal/graphite composite. Today the use of graphite as a plasma facing material is one predominant concept in fusion engineering. Depending on the thermal load, the graphite components have to be directly cooled (i.e. divertor plates) or inertially cooled (i.e. firstwall tiles). In case of direct cooling a metallurgical joining such as high temperature brazing between graphite and a metalic cooling structure shows the most promising results /1/. Inertially cooled graphite tiles have to be joined to a metallic backing plate in order to get a stable attachment to the supporting structure. The main requirements on the metallic partner of a metal/graphite composite and in the first wall area are: high melting point, high thermal strength, high thermal conductivity, low vapour pressure and a thermal expansion matching that of graphite. These properties are typical for the refractory metals such as molybdenum, tungsten and their alloys. (author)

Catalytic Graphitization for Preparation of Porous Carbon Material Derived from Bamboo Precursor and Performance as Electrode of Electrical Double-Layer Capacitor

Science.gov (United States)

Tsubota, Toshiki; Maguchi, Yuta; Kamimura, Sunao; Ohno, Teruhisa; Yasuoka, Takehiro; Nishida, Haruo

2015-12-01

The combination of addition of Fe (as a catalyst for graphitization) and CO2 activation (a kind of gaseous activation) was applied to prepare a porous carbon material from bamboo powder (a waste product of superheated steam treatment). Regardless of the heat treatment temperature, many macropores were successfully formed after the heating process by removal of Fe compounds. A turbostratic carbon structure was generated in the Fe-added sample heated at 850°C. It was confirmed that the added Fe acted as a template for pore formation. Moreover, it was confirmed that the added Fe acted as a catalyst for graphitization. The resulting electrochemical performance as the electrode of an electrical double-layer capacitor, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and charge-discharge testing, could be explained based on the graphitization and activation effects. Addition of Fe could affect the electrical properties of carbon material derived from bamboo.

A Comparison of Materials Issues for Cermet and Graphite-Based NTP Fuels

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Mark E.; Schnitzler, Bruce G.

2013-01-01

This paper compares material issues for cermet and graphite fuel elements. In particular, two issues in NTP fuel element performance are considered here: ductile to brittle transition in relation to crack propagation, and orificing individual coolant channels in fuel elements. Their relevance to fuel element performance is supported by considering material properties, experimental data, and results from multidisciplinary fluid/thermal/structural simulations. Ductile to brittle transition results in a fuel element region prone to brittle fracture under stress, while outside this region, stresses lead to deformation and resilience under stress. Poor coolant distribution between fuel element channels can increase stresses in certain channels. NERVA fuel element experimental results are consistent with this interpretation. An understanding of these mechanisms will help interpret fuel element testing results.

Uranium Oxide Aerosol Transport in Porous Graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blanchard, Jeremy; Gerlach, David C.; Scheele, Randall D.; Stewart, Mark L.; Reid, Bruce D.; Gauglitz, Phillip A.; Bagaasen, Larry M.; Brown, Charles C.; Iovin, Cristian; Delegard, Calvin H.; Zelenyuk, Alla; Buck, Edgar C.; Riley, Brian J.; Burns, Carolyn A.

2012-01-23

The objective of this paper is to investigate the transport of uranium oxide particles that may be present in carbon dioxide (CO2) gas coolant, into the graphite blocks of gas-cooled, graphite moderated reactors. The transport of uranium oxide in the coolant system, and subsequent deposition of this material in the graphite, of such reactors is of interest because it has the potential to influence the application of the Graphite Isotope Ratio Method (GIRM). The GIRM is a technology that has been developed to validate the declared operation of graphite moderated reactors. GIRM exploits isotopic ratio changes that occur in the impurity elements present in the graphite to infer cumulative exposure and hence the reactor’s lifetime cumulative plutonium production. Reference Gesh, et. al., for a more complete discussion on the GIRM technology.

Tire containing thermally exfoliated graphite oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'homme, Robert K. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A tire, tire lining or inner tube, containing a polymer composite, made of at least one rubber and/or at least one elastomer and a modified graphite oxide material, which is a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 sq m/g to 2600 sq m/g.

Determination of thermal neutrons diffusion length in graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Fite, J.

1959-01-01

The diffusion length of thermal neutrons in graphite using the less possible quantity of material has been determined. The proceeding used was the measurement in a graphite pile which has a punctual source of rapid neutrons inside surrounded by a reflector medium (paraffin or water). The measurement was done in the following conditions: a) introducing an aluminium plate between both materials. b) Introducing a cadmium plate between both materials. (Author) 91 refs

Performance of brazed graphite, carbon-fiber composite, and TZM materials for actively cooled structures: qualification tests

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smid, I.; Croessmann, C. D.; Watson, R. D.; Linke, J.; Cardella, A.; Bolt, H.; Reheis, N.; Kny, E.

1995-01-01

The divertor of a near-term fusion device has to withstand high heat fluxes, heat shocks, and erosion caused by the plasma. Furthermore, it has to be maintainable through remote techniques. Above all, a good heat removal capability across the interface (low-Z armor/heat sink) plus overall integrity after many operational cycles are needed. To meet all these requirements, an active metal brazing technique is applied to bond graphite and carbon-fiber composite materials to a heat sink consisting of a Mo-41Re coolant tube through a TZM body. Plain brazed graphite and TZM tiles are tested for their fusion-relevant properties. The interfaces appear undamaged after thermal cycling when the melting point of the braze joint is not exceeded and when the graphite armor is > 4 mm thick. High heat flux tests are performed on three actively cooled divertor targets. The braze joints show no sign of failure after exposure to thermal loads ∼ 25 % higher than the design value surface heat flux of 10 MW/m 2 . (author)

Porous (Swiss-Cheese Graphite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph P. Abrahamson

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Porous graphite was prepared without the use of template by rapidly heating the carbonization products from mixtures of anthracene, fluorene, and pyrene with a CO2 laser. Rapid CO2 laser heating at a rate of 1.8 × 106 °C/s vaporizes out the fluorene-pyrene derived pitch while annealing the anthracene coke. The resulting structure is that of graphite with 100 nm spherical pores. The graphitizablity of the porous material is the same as pure anthracene coke. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the interfaces between graphitic layers and the pore walls are unimpeded. Traditional furnace annealing does not result in the porous structure as the heating rates are too slow to vaporize out the pitch, thereby illustrating the advantage of fast thermal processing. The resultant porous graphite was prelithiated and used as an anode in lithium ion capacitors. The porous graphite when lithiated had a specific capacity of 200 mAh/g at 100 mA/g. The assembled lithium ion capacitor demonstrated an energy density as high as 75 Wh/kg when cycled between 2.2 V and 4.2 V.

Mode II Interlaminar Fracture Toughness and Fatigue Characterization of a Graphite Epoxy Composite Material

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, T. Kevin; Johnston, William M.; Toland, Gregory J.

2010-01-01

Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness and delamination onset and growth characterization data were generated for IM7/8552 graphite epoxy composite materials from two suppliers for use in fracture mechanics analyses. Both the fracture toughness testing and the fatigue testing were conducted using the End-notched Flexure (ENF) test. The ENF test for mode II fracture toughness is currently under review by ASTM as a potential standard test method. This current draft ASTM protocol was used as a guide to conduct the tests on the IM7/8552 material. This report summarizes the test approach, methods, procedures and results of this characterization effort.

Fracture behavior of nuclear graphites under tensile impact loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugachi, Hirokazu; Ishiyama, Shintaro; Eto, Motokuni

1994-01-01

Impact tensile strength test was performed with two kinds of HTTR graphites, fine grained isotropic graphite, IG-11 and coarse grained near isotropic graphite, PGX and deformation and fracture behavior under the strain rate of over 100s -1 was measured and the following results were derived: (1) Tensile strength for IG-11 graphite does not depend on the strain rate less than 1 s -1 , but over 1 s -1 , tensile strength for IG-11 graphite increase larger than that measured under 1 s -1 . At the strain rate more than 100 s -1 , remarkable decrease of tensile strength for IG-11 graphite was found. Tensile strength of PGX graphite does not depend on the strain rate less than 1 s -1 , but beyond this value, the sharp tensile strength decrease occurs. (2) Under 100 s -1 , fracture strain for both graphites increase with increase of strain rate and over 100 s -1 , drastic increase of fracture strain for IG-11 graphite was found. (3) At the part of gage length, volume of specimen increase with increase of tensile loading level and strain rate. (4) Poisson's ratio for both graphites decrease with increase of tensile loading level and strain rate. (5) Remarkable change of stress-strain curve for both graphites under 100 s -1 was not found, but over 100 s -1 , the slope of these curve for IG-11 graphite decrease drastically. (author)

Milling Behavior of Matrix Graphite Powders with Different Binder Materials in HTGR Fuel Element Fabrication: I. Variation in Particle Size Distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young Woo; Cho, Moon Sung

2011-01-01

The fuel element for HTGR is manufactured by mixing coated fuel particles with matrix graphite powder and forming into either pebble type or cylindrical type compacts depending on their use in different HTGR cores. The coated fuel particle, the so-called TRISO particle, consists of 500-μm spherical UO 2 particles coated with the low density buffer Pyrolytic Carbon (PyC) layer, the inner and outer high density PyC layer and SiC layer sandwiched between the two inner and outer PyC layers. The coated TRISO particles are mixed with a matrix graphite powder properly prepared and pressed into a spherical shape or a cylindrical compact finally heat-treated at about 1900 .deg. C. These fuel elements can have different sizes and forms of compact. The basic steps for manufacturing a fuel element include preparation of graphite matrix powder, overcoating the fuel particles, mixing the fuel particles with a matrix powder, carbonizing green compact, and the final high-temperature heat treatment of the carbonized fuel compact. In order to develop a fuel compact fabrication technology, it is important to develop a technology to prepare the matrix graphite powder (MGP) with proper characteristics, which has a strong influence on further steps and the material properties of fuel element. In this work, the milling behavior of matrix graphite powder mixture with different binder materials and their contents was investigated by analyzing the change in particle size distribution with different milling time

Mode II interlaminar fracture of graphite/epoxy and graphite/PEEK

Science.gov (United States)

Carlsson, L. A.; Gillespie, J. W.; Trethewey, B. R.

1986-01-01

The end notched flexure (ENF) specimen is employed in an investigation of the interlaminar fracture toughness in Mode II (skew symmetric shear) loading of unidirectional graphite/epoxy and graphite/PEEK composites. Important experimental parameters such as the influence of precracking and the data reduction scheme for the Mode II toughness are discussed. Nonlinear load-deflection response is significant for the tough thermoplastic resin composite but is also present for the brittle thermoset composite. The observed nonlinearities, which are highly rate dependent, are attributed to a combination of slow stable crack growth preceding unstable crack growth and material inelastic behavior in the process zone around the crack tip.

77 FR 51581 - Request for a License To Export Nuclear Grade Graphite

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-24

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION Request for a License To Export Nuclear Grade Graphite Pursuant to... 27, 2012, graphite for of nuclear grade graphite to the XMAT424, 11006032. nuclear end use. graphite. Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics in China to test various types of nuclear grade graphite material in...

Next Generation Nuclear Plant Phenomena Identification and Ranking Tables (PIRTs) Volume 5: Graphite PIRTs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burchell, Timothy D.; Bratton, Rob; Marsden, Barry; Srinivasan, Makuteswara; Penfield, Scott; Mitchell, Mark; Windes, Will

2008-01-01

Here we report the outcome of the application of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Phenomena Identification and Ranking Table (PIRT) process to the issue of nuclear-grade graphite for the moderator and structural components of a next generation nuclear plant (NGNP), considering both routine (normal operation) and postulated accident conditions for the NGNP. The NGNP is assumed to be a modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR), either a gas-turbine modular helium reactor (GTMHR) version (a prismatic-core modular reactor (PMR)] or a pebble-bed modular reactor (PBMR) version (a pebble bed reactor (PBR)] design, with either a direct- or indirect-cycle gas turbine (Brayton cycle) system for electric power production, and an indirect-cycle component for hydrogen production. NGNP design options with a high-pressure steam generator (Rankine cycle) in the primary loop are not considered in this PIRT. This graphite PIRT was conducted in parallel with four other NRC PIRT activities, taking advantage of the relationships and overlaps in subject matter. The graphite PIRT panel identified numerous phenomena, five of which were ranked high importance-low knowledge. A further nine were ranked with high importance and medium knowledge rank. Two phenomena were ranked with medium importance and low knowledge, and a further 14 were ranked medium importance and medium knowledge rank. The last 12 phenomena were ranked with low importance and high knowledge rank (or similar combinations suggesting they have low priority). The ranking/scoring rationale for the reported graphite phenomena is discussed. Much has been learned about the behavior of graphite in reactor environments in the 60-plus years since the first graphite rectors went into service. The extensive list of references in the Bibliography is plainly testament to this fact. Our current knowledge base is well developed. Although data are lacking for the specific grades being considered for Generation IV (Gen IV

Characterization of nuclear graphite elastic properties using laser ultrasonic methods

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Fan W.; Han, Karen; Olasov, Lauren R.; Gallego, Nidia C.; Contescu, Cristian I.; Spicer, James B.

2015-05-01

Laser ultrasonic methods have been used to characterize the elastic behaviors of commercially-available and legacy nuclear graphites. Since ultrasonic techniques are sensitive to various aspects of graphite microstructure including preferred grain orientation, microcrack orientation and porosity, laser ultrasonics is a candidate technique for monitoring graphite degradation and structural integrity in environments expected in high-temperature, gas-cooled nuclear reactors. Aspects of materials texture can be assessed by studying ultrasonic wavespeeds as a function of propagation direction and polarization. Shear wave birefringence measurements, in particular, can be used to evaluate elastic anisotropy. In this work, laser ultrasonic measurements of graphite moduli have been made to provide insight into the relationship between the microstructures and the macroscopic stiffnesses of these materials. In particular, laser ultrasonic measurements have been made using laser line sources to produce shear waves with specific polarizations. By varying the line orientation relative to the sample, shear wave birefringence measurements have been recorded. Results from shear wave birefringence measurements show that an isostatically molded graphite, such as PCIB, behaves isotropically, while an extruded graphite, such as H-451, displays significant ultrasonic texture. Graphites have complicated microstructures that depend on the manufacturing processes used, and ultrasonic texture in these materials could originate from grain orientation and preferred microcrack alignment. Effects on material isotropy due to service related microstructural changes are possible and the ultimate aim of this work is to determine the degree to which these changes can be assessed nondestructively using laser ultrasonics measurements.

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies of graphite materials prepared by high-temperature treatment of unburned carbon concentrates from combustion fly ashes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miguel Cabielles; Jean-Nol Rouzaud; Ana B. Garcia [Instituto Nacional del Carbn (INCAR), Oviedo (Spain)

2009-01-15

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has been used in this work to study the microstructural (structure and microtexture) changes occurring during the high-temperature treatment of the unburned carbon concentrates from coal combustion fly ashes. Emphasis was placed on two aspects: (i) the development of graphitic carbon structures and (ii) the disordered carbon forms remaining in the graphitized samples. In addition, by coupling HRTEM with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, the transformations with the temperature of the inorganic matter (mainly iron- and silicon-based phases) of the unburned carbon concentrates were evidenced. The HRTEM results were compared to the averaged structural order of the materials as evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. As indicated by XRD and Raman parameters, more-ordered materials were obtained from the unburned carbon concentrates with higher mineral/inorganic matter, thus inferring the catalytic effect of some of their components. However, the average character of the information provided by these instrumental techniques seems to be inconclusive in discriminating between carbon structures with different degrees of order (stricto sensu graphite, graphitic, turbostratic, etc.) in a given graphitized unburned carbon. Unlike XRD and Raman, HRTEM is a useful tool for imaging directly the profile of the polyaromatic layers (graphene planes), thus allowing the sample heterogeneity to be looked at, specifically the presence of disordered carbon phases. 49 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.

Methodology of characterization of radioactive graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pina, G.; Rodriguez, M.; Lara, E.; Magro, E.; Gascon, J. L.; Leganes, J. L.

2014-01-01

Since the dismantling of Vandellos I, ENRESA has promoted the precise knowledge of the inventory of irradiated graphite (graphite-i) through establishing methodologies for radiological characterization of the vector of radionuclides of interest and their correlations as the primary means of characterization strategy to establish the safer management of this material in its life cycle. (Author)

Development of integrated waste management options for irradiated graphite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan Wareing

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The European Treatment and Disposal of Irradiated Graphite and other Carbonaceous Waste project sought to develop best practices in the retrieval, treatment, and disposal of irradiated graphite including other irradiated carbonaceous waste such as structural material made of graphite, nongraphitized carbon bricks, and fuel coatings. Emphasis was given on legacy irradiated graphite, as this represents a significant inventory in respective national waste management programs. This paper provides an overview of the characteristics of graphite irradiated during its use, primarily as a moderator material, within nuclear reactors. It describes the potential techniques applicable to the retrieval, treatment, recycling/reuse, and disposal of these graphite wastes. Considering the lifecycle of nuclear graphite, from manufacture to final disposal, a number of waste management options have been developed. These options consider the techniques and technologies required to address each stage of the lifecycle, such as segregation, treatment, recycle, and ultimate disposal in a radioactive waste repository, providing a toolbox to aid operators and regulators to determine the most appropriate management strategy. It is noted that national waste management programs currently have, or are in the process of developing, respective approaches to irradiated graphite management. The output of the Treatment and Disposal of Irradiated Graphite and other Carbonaceous Waste project is intended to aid these considerations, rather than dictate them.

Study of wear mechanism of chopped fiber reinforced epoxy composite filled with graphite and bronze

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, Nitinchand; Prasad, Krishna

2018-04-01

The combined effect of graphite and sintered bronze with a short glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites was investigated in this work. A pin on disc wear test was carried out to study the wear behaviour and mechanism of the composites. The objective of this work is to develop an alternate friction resistance material for the application of sliding bearing. It was observed that the addition of sintered bronze improved mechanical and thermal stability of the composites as bronze has low contact resistance with graphite and has high thermal conductivity. It was observed from the test results that increased volume percentage of graphite and presence of bronze are play significant role in wear mechanism of the composites. It was observed from the scanning electronic microscopes (SEM) that the abrasive and adhesive wear mechanism was prominent in this study. It was also evident from the result that the frictional force remains stable irrespective of the applied normal load.

Characterization of graphite dust produced by pneumatic lift

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shen, Ke [Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Thermal Management Engineering and Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong (China); Peng, Wei; Liu, Bing [Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology of Tsinghua University, Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology Cooperation Innovation Center, The Key Laboratory of Advanced Nuclear Engineering and Safety, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100084 (China); Kang, Feiyu [Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Thermal Management Engineering and Materials, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055, Guangdong (China); Yang, Xiaoyong; Li, Weihua [Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology of Tsinghua University, Advanced Nuclear Energy Technology Cooperation Innovation Center, The Key Laboratory of Advanced Nuclear Engineering and Safety, Ministry of Education, Beijing 100084 (China); Yu, Suyuan, E-mail: suyuan@tsinghua.edu.cn [Center for Combustion Energy, The Key Laboratory for Thermal Science and Power Engineering, Ministry of Educations, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

2016-08-15

Highlights: • Generation of graphite dust by pneumatic lift. • Determination of morphology and particle size distribution of graphite dust. • The size of graphite dust in this study is compared to AVR and THTR-300 results. • Graphite dust originates from both filler and binder of the matrix graphite. - Abstract: Graphite dust is an important safety concern of high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR). The graphite dust could adsorb fission products, and the radioactive dust is transported by the coolant gas and deposited on the surface of the primary loop. The simulation of coagulation, aggregation, deposition, and resuspension behavior of graphite dust requires parameters such as particle size distribution and particle shape, but currently very limited data on graphite dust is available. The only data we have are from AVR and THTR-300, however, the AVR result is likely to be prejudiced by the oil ingress. In pebble-bed HTR, graphite dust is generally produced by mechanical abrasion, in particular, by the abrasion of graphite pebbles in the lifting pipe of the fuel handling system. Here we demonstrate the generation and characterization of graphite dust that were produced by pneumatic lift. This graphite dust could substitute the real dust in HTR for characterization. The dust, exhibiting a lamellar morphology, showed a number-weighted average particle size of 2.38 μm and a volume-weighted average size of 14.62 μm. These two sizes were larger than the AVR and THTR results. The discrepancy is possibly due to the irradiation effect and prejudice caused by the oil ingress accident. It is also confirmed by the Raman spectrum that both the filler particle and binder contribute to the dust generation.

Metal/graphite - composites in fusion engineering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Staffler, R.; Kneringer, G.; Kny, E.; Reheis, N.

1989-01-01

Metal/graphite composites have been well known in medical industry for many years. X-ray tubes used in modern radiography, particularly in computerized tomography are equipped with rotating targets able to absorb a maximum of heat in a given time. Modern rotating targets consist of a refractory metal/graphite composite. Today the use of graphite as a plasma facing material is one predominant concept in fusion engineering. Depending on the thermal load, the graphite components have to be directly cooled (i.e. divertor plates) or inertially cooled (i.e. firstwall tiles). In case of direct cooling a metallurgical joining such as high temperature brazing between graphite and a metallic cooling structure shows the most promising results /1/. Inertially cooled graphite tiles have to be joined to a metallic backing plate in order to get a stable attachment to the supporting structure. The main requirements on the metallic partner of a metal/graphite composite used in the first wall area are: high melting point, high thermal strength, high thermal conductivity, low vapor pressure and a thermal expansion matching that of graphite. These properties are typical for the refractory metals such as molybdenum, tungsten and their alloys. 4 refs., 13 figs., 1 tab

Graphite core design in UK reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davies, M.W.

1996-01-01

The cores in the first power producing Magnox reactors in the UK were designed with only a limited amount of information available regarding the anisotropic dimensional change behaviour of Pile Grade graphite. As more information was gained it was necessary to make modifications to the design, some minor, some major. As the cores being built became larger, and with the switch to the Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) with its much higher power density, additional problems had to be overcome such as increased dimensional change and radiolytic oxidation by the carbon dioxide coolant. For the AGRs a more isotropic graphite was required, with a lower initial open pore volume and higher strength. Gilsocarbon graphite was developed and was selected for all the AGRs built in the UK. Methane bearing coolants are used to limit radiolytic oxidation. (author). 5 figs

Nanoscale Electrochemistry of sp(2) Carbon Materials: From Graphite and Graphene to Carbon Nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Unwin, Patrick R; Güell, Aleix G; Zhang, Guohui

2016-09-20

Carbon materials have a long history of use as electrodes in electrochemistry, from (bio)electroanalysis to applications in energy technologies, such as batteries and fuel cells. With the advent of new forms of nanocarbon, particularly, carbon nanotubes and graphene, carbon electrode materials have taken on even greater significance for electrochemical studies, both in their own right and as components and supports in an array of functional composites. With the increasing prominence of carbon nanomaterials in electrochemistry comes a need to critically evaluate the experimental framework from which a microscopic understanding of electrochemical processes is best developed. This Account advocates the use of emerging electrochemical imaging techniques and confined electrochemical cell formats that have considerable potential to reveal major new perspectives on the intrinsic electrochemical activity of carbon materials, with unprecedented detail and spatial resolution. These techniques allow particular features on a surface to be targeted and models of structure-activity to be developed and tested on a wide range of length scales and time scales. When high resolution electrochemical imaging data are combined with information from other microscopy and spectroscopy techniques applied to the same area of an electrode surface, in a correlative-electrochemical microscopy approach, highly resolved and unambiguous pictures of electrode activity are revealed that provide new views of the electrochemical properties of carbon materials. With a focus on major sp(2) carbon materials, graphite, graphene, and single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), this Account summarizes recent advances that have changed understanding of interfacial electrochemistry at carbon electrodes including: (i) Unequivocal evidence for the high activity of the basal surface of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), which is at least as active as noble metal electrodes (e.g., platinum) for outer

Optical motion control of maglev graphite.

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Masayuki; Abe, Jiro

2012-12-26

Graphite has been known as a typical diamagnetic material and can be levitated in the strong magnetic field. Here we show that the magnetically levitating pyrolytic graphite can be moved in the arbitrary place by simple photoirradiation. It is notable that the optical motion control system described in this paper requires only NdFeB permanent magnets and light source. The optical movement is driven by photothermally induced changes in the magnetic susceptibility of the graphite. Moreover, we demonstrate that light energy can be converted into rotational kinetic energy by means of the photothermal property. We find that the levitating graphite disk rotates at over 200 rpm under the sunlight, making it possible to develop a new class of light energy conversion system.

The preliminary feasibility of intercalated graphite railgun armatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaier, J.R.; Yashan, D.; Naud, S.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on graphite intercalation compounds which may provide an excellent material for the fabrication of electro-magnetic railgun armatures. As a pulse of power is fed into the armature the intercalate could be excited into the plasma state around the edges of the armature, while the bulk of the current would be carried through the graphite block. Such an armature would have desirable characteristics of both diffuse plasma armatures and bulk conduction armatures. In addition, the highly anisotropic nature of these materials could enable the electrical and thermal conductivity to be tailored to meet the specific requirements of electromagnetic railgun armatures. Preliminary investigations have been performed in an attempt to determine the feasibility of using graphite intercalation compounds as railgun armatures. Issues of fabrication, resistivity, stability, and electrical current spreading have been addressed for the case of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

Technique for production of graphite-carbon products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antonov, A.N.; Bentsianovskaya, I.A.; Filatova, V.A.; Nabokov, V.S.; Nestor, V.P.; Zil' bergleyt, I.M.

1982-01-01

The technique for producing carbon-graphite products that includes filtration under a pressure of 0.1-015 MPa (through graphite stock) of an aqueous carbon material with the addition of surfactant, drying, and subsequent thermal treatment, is simplified and made less lengthy. Oxidized graphite is utilized with a prior addition of 1-10% water-soluble organic substance into the suspension -molasses, hemicellulose, sugar or polyacrylamide. A 0.03-1.5% suspension of oxidized graphite is utilized, with a particle size of 0.02-0.1 mkm. Thermal processing is done in a carbon fill, at a rate of 10-20 degrees/hour to 700-800/sup 0/, maintained 2-3 hours.

Statistical considerations of graphite strength for assessing design allowable stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishihara, M.; Mogi, H.; Ioka, I.; Arai, T.; Oku, T.

1987-01-01

Several aspects of statistics need to be considered to determine design allowable stresses for graphite structures. These include: 1) Statistical variation of graphite material strength. 2) Uncertainty of calculated stress. 3) Reliability (survival probability) required from operational and safety performance of graphite structures. This paper deals with some statistical considerations of structural graphite for assessing design allowable stress. Firstly, probability distribution functions of tensile and compressive strengths are investigated on experimental Very High Temperature candidated graphites. Normal, logarithmic normal and Weibull distribution functions are compared in terms of coefficient of correlation to measured strength data. This leads to the adaptation of normal distribution function. Then, the relation between factor of safety and fracture probability is discussed on the following items: 1) As the graphite strength is more variable than metalic material's strength, the effect of strength variation to the fracture probability is evaluated. 2) Fracture probability depending on survival probability of 99 ∼ 99.9 (%) with confidence level of 90 ∼ 95 (%) is discussed. 3) As the material properties used in the design analysis are usually the mean values of their variation, the additional effect of these variations on the fracture probability is discussed. Finally, the way to assure the minimum ultimate strength with required survival probability with confidence level is discussed in view of statistical treatment of the strength data from varying sample numbers in a material acceptance test. (author)

Thermal-hydraulic analysis of graphite tubes for the non-aqueous system of accelerator transmutation of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, R.C.; Venneri, F.; Trujillo, D.A.

1993-01-01

Accelerator transmutation of nuclear waste offers exciting possibilities for the disposal of nuclear waste by converting it into more benign Species. The non-aqueous system discussed here contains the materials to be transmuted within a lithium-fluoride salt. The system consists of bundles of graphite tubes containing the salt Solution. The tubes are cooled as lithium flows across their exterior. These circular graphite tubes have an inner circular passage and an outer annulus. Natural convection within the tubes causes the salt to circulate. This paper deals with the thermal-hydraulics of the system; it does not consider the neutronics in detail. Heat transfer and fluid flow were modeled using a custom computer program the system behavior of an graphite tube. Different geometries were tried, while keeping the system volume the same, to determine an optimize graphite tube geometry. I considered both the parallel flow and the counterflow of the lithium coolant, and allowed limited boiling to occur to facilitate circulation. I achieved power densities as high as 200 W/cm 3 for the overall blanket

Optimisation of the link volume for weakest link failure prediction in NBG-18 nuclear graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hindley, Michael P.; Groenwold, Albert A.; Blaine, Deborah C.; Becker, Thorsten H.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the process for approximating the optimal size of a link volume required for weakest link failure calculation in nuclear graphite, with NBG-18 used as an example. As part of the failure methodology, the link volume is defined in terms of two grouping criteria. The first criterion is a factor of the maximum grain size and the second criterion is a function of an equivalent stress limit. A methodology for approximating these grouping criteria is presented. The failure methodology employs finite element analysis (FEA) in order to predict the failure load, at 50% probability of failure. The average experimental failure load, as determined for 26 test geometries, is used to evaluate the accuracy of the weakest link failure calculations. The influence of the two grouping criteria on the failure load prediction is evaluated by defining an error in prediction across all test cases. Mathematical optimisation is used to find the minimum error across a range of test case failure predictions. This minimum error is shown to deliver the most accurate failure prediction across a whole range of components, although some test cases in the range predict conservative failure load. The mathematical optimisation objective function is penalised to account for non-conservative prediction of the failure load for any test case. The optimisation is repeated and a link volume found for conservative failure prediction. The failure prediction for each test case is evaluated, in detail, for the proposed link volumes. Based on the analysis, link design volumes for NBG-18 are recommended for either accurate or conservative failure prediction

Selenium determination in biological material by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in graphite furnace and using vapor generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho Vidal, M. de F. de.

1984-01-01

The applicability of the atomic absorption spectrophotometry to the determination of selenium in biological material using vapor generation and electrothermal atomization in the graphite furnace was investigated. Instrumental parameters and the analytical conditions of the methods were studied. Decomposition methods for the samples were tested, and the combustion in the Wickbold apparatus was chosen. (author) [pt

Effect of expanded graphite on the phase change materials of high density polyethylene/wax blends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

AlMaadeed, M.A., E-mail: m.alali@qu.edu.qa [Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, 2713 Doha (Qatar); Labidi, Sami [Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, 2713 Doha (Qatar); Krupa, Igor [QAPCO Polymer Chair, Center for Advanced Materials, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha (Qatar); Karkri, Mustapha [Université Paris-Est CERTES, 61 avenue du Général de Gaulle, 94010 Créteil (France)

2015-01-20

Highlights: • Expanded graphite (EG) and low melting point (42.3 °C) wax were added to HDPE to form phase change material. • EG was well dispersed in the composites and did not affect the melting or crystallization of the HDPE matrix. • EG increased the thermal stability of the composites by reducing chain mobility and inhibiting degradation. • The addition of a relatively small quantity of EG enhances the heat conduction in the composite. • HDPE/40% RT42 that contained up to 15% EG demonstrated excellent mechanical and thermal properties and can be used as PCM. - Abstract: Phase change materials fabricated from high density polyethylene (HDPE) blended with 40 or 50 wt% commercial wax (melting point of 43.08 °C) and up to 15 wt% expanded graphite (EG) were studied. Techniques including scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and an experimental device to measure diffusivity and conductivity (DICO) were used to determine the microstructural, mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. The composites possessed good mechanical properties. Additionally, no leaching was observed during material processing or characterization. Although the Young’s modulus increased with the addition of EG, no significant changes in tensile strength were detected. The maximum Young’s modulus achieved was 650 MPa for the HDPE/40% wax composite with 15 wt% EG. The EG was well dispersed within the composites and did not affect the melting or crystallization of the HDPE matrix. The incorporation of EG increased the thermal stability of the composites by reducing chain mobility and inhibiting degradation. The intensification of thermal conductivity occurred with increasing fractions of EG, which was attributed to the high thermal conductivity of graphite. The maximum quantity of heat stored by latent heat was found for the HDPE/40% wax composite with EG. The addition of a relatively small quantity

Effect of expanded graphite on the phase change materials of high density polyethylene/wax blends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlMaadeed, M.A.; Labidi, Sami; Krupa, Igor; Karkri, Mustapha

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Expanded graphite (EG) and low melting point (42.3 °C) wax were added to HDPE to form phase change material. • EG was well dispersed in the composites and did not affect the melting or crystallization of the HDPE matrix. • EG increased the thermal stability of the composites by reducing chain mobility and inhibiting degradation. • The addition of a relatively small quantity of EG enhances the heat conduction in the composite. • HDPE/40% RT42 that contained up to 15% EG demonstrated excellent mechanical and thermal properties and can be used as PCM. - Abstract: Phase change materials fabricated from high density polyethylene (HDPE) blended with 40 or 50 wt% commercial wax (melting point of 43.08 °C) and up to 15 wt% expanded graphite (EG) were studied. Techniques including scanning electron microscope (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and an experimental device to measure diffusivity and conductivity (DICO) were used to determine the microstructural, mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. The composites possessed good mechanical properties. Additionally, no leaching was observed during material processing or characterization. Although the Young’s modulus increased with the addition of EG, no significant changes in tensile strength were detected. The maximum Young’s modulus achieved was 650 MPa for the HDPE/40% wax composite with 15 wt% EG. The EG was well dispersed within the composites and did not affect the melting or crystallization of the HDPE matrix. The incorporation of EG increased the thermal stability of the composites by reducing chain mobility and inhibiting degradation. The intensification of thermal conductivity occurred with increasing fractions of EG, which was attributed to the high thermal conductivity of graphite. The maximum quantity of heat stored by latent heat was found for the HDPE/40% wax composite with EG. The addition of a relatively small quantity

Performance enhancement of spherical natural graphite by phenol resin in lithium ion batteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Y.-S.; Wang, Y.-H.; Lee, Y.-H.

2006-01-01

The capacity of natural graphite in the lithium ion battery anode decays seriously. The phenol resin is used as a reaction material to modify the electrochemical performance of spherical graphite as the anode material in lithium ion batteries. Measuring the reversible capacity indicates change in the surface structure of spherical graphite. A dense layer of methyl groups was thus formed. Some structural imperfections are removed and the stability of the graphite structure is increased. Clearly, reducing the irreversible capacity is beneficial in controlling the uniformity of the spherical graphite surface structure

Management of UKAEA graphite liabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wise, M.

2001-01-01

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) is responsible for managing its liabilities for redundant research reactors and other active facilities concerned with the development of the UK nuclear technology programme since 1947. These liabilities include irradiated graphite from a variety of different sources including low irradiation temperature reactor graphite (the Windscale Piles 1 and 2, British Energy Pile O and Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile at Harwell and the Material Testing Reactors at Harwell and Dounreay), advanced gas-cooled reactor graphite (from the Windscale Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor) and graphite from fast reactor systems (neutron shield graphite from the Dounreay Prototype Fast Reactor and Dounreay Fast Reactor). The decommissioning and dismantling of these facilities will give rise to over 6,000 tonnes of graphite requiring disposal. The first graphite will be retrieved from the dismantling of Windscale Pile 1 and the Windscale Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor during the next five years. UKAEA has undertaken extensive studies to consider the best practicable options for disposing of these graphite liabilities in a manner that is safe whilst minimising the associated costs and technical risks. These options include (but are not limited to), disposal as Low Level Waste, incineration, or encapsulation and disposal as Intermediate Level Waste. There are a number of technical issues associated with each of these proposed disposal options; these include Wigner energy, radionuclide inventory determination, encapsulation of graphite dust, galvanic coupling interactions enhancing the corrosion of mild steel and public acceptability. UKAEA is currently developing packaging concepts and designing packaging plants for processing these graphite wastes in consultation with other holders of graphite wastes throughout Europe. 'Letters of Comfort' have been sought from both the Low Level Waste and the Intermediate Level Waste disposal organisations to support the

Positron annihilation study of graphite, glassy carbon and C60/C70 fullerene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Masayuki; Kajino, Masahiro; Yamaguchi, Sadae; Iwata, Tadao; Kuramoto, Eiichi; Takenaka, Minoru.

1992-01-01

ACAR (Angular Correlation of Annihilation Radiation) and positron lifetime measurements have been made on, HOPG (Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite), isotropic fine-grained graphite, glassy carbons and C 60 /C 70 powder. HOPG showed marked bimodality along the c-axis and anisotropy in ACAR momentum distribution, which stem from characteristic annihilation between 'interlayer' positrons and π-electrons in graphite. ACAR curves of the isotropic graphite and glassy carbons are even narrower than that of HOPG perpendicular to the c-axis. Positron lifetime of 420 and 390 - 480 psec, much longer than that of 221 psec in HOPG, were observed for the isotropic graphite and glassy carbons respectively, which are due to positron trapping in structural voids in them. Positron lifetime and ACAR width (FWHM) can be well correlated to void sizes (1.7 to 5.0 nm) of glassy carbons which have been determined by small angle neutron (SAN) scattering measurements. ACAR curves and positron lifetime of C 60 /C 70 powder agree well with those of glassy carbons. This shows that positron wave functions extend, as in the voids of glassy carbons, much wider than open spaces of the octahedral interstices of the face-centered cubic (FCC) structure of C 60 crystal and strongly suggests positron trapping in the 'soccer ball' vacancy. Possible positron states in the carbon materials are discussed with a simple model of void volume-trapping. Preliminary results on neutron irradiation damage in HOPG are also presented. (author)

Some equipment for graphite research in swimming pool reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seguin, M.; Arragon, Ph.; Dupont, G.; Gentil, J.; Tanis, G.

1964-01-01

The irradiation devices described are used for research concerning reactors of the natural uranium type, moderated by graphite and cooled by carbon dioxide. The devices are generally designed for use in swimming pool reactors. The following points have been particularly studied: - maximum use of the irradiation volume, - use of the simplest technological solutions, - standardization of certain constituent parts. This standardization calls for precision machining and careful assembling; these requirements are also true when a relatively low irradiation temperature is required and the nuclear heating is pronounced. Finally, the design of these devices is suitable for the irradiation of other fissile or non-fissile materials. (authors) [fr

Studies of the role of molten materials in interactions with UO2 and graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fink, J.K.; Heiberger, J.J.; Leibowitz, L.

1979-01-01

Graphite, which is being considered as a lower reactor shield in gas-cooled fast reactors, would be contacted by core debris during a core disruptive accident. Information on the interaction of graphite, UO 2 , and stainless steel is needed in assessing the safety of the GCFR. In an ongoing study of the interaction of graphite, UO 2 , and stainless steel, the effects of the steel components have been investigated by electron microprobe scans, x-ray diffraction, and reaction-rate measurements. Experiments to study the role of the reaction product, FeUC 2 , in the interaction suggested that FeUC 2 promotes the interaction by acting as a carrier to bring graphite to the reaction site. Additional experiments using pyrolytic graphite show that while the reaction rate is decreased at 2400 K, at higher temperatures the rate is similar to that using other grades of graphite

Feasibility study of fusion breeding blanket concept employing graphite reflector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Seungyon; Ahn, Mu-Young; Lee, Cheol Woo; Kim, Eung Seon; Park, Yi-Hyun; Lee, Youngmin; Lee, Dong Won

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) breeding blanket concept adopts graphite as a reflector material by reducing the amount of beryllium multiplier. • Its feasibility was investigated in view point of the nuclear performance as well as material-related issues. • A nuclear analysis is performed under the fusion reactor condition to address the feasibility of graphite reflector in breeding blanket. • Also, the chemical stability of the graphite is investigated considering the chemical stability under accident conditions. • In conclusion, the adaptation of graphite reflector in breeding blanket is intrinsically safe and plausible under fusion reactor condition. - Abstract: To obtain high tritium breeding performance with limited blanket thickness, most of solid breeder blanket concepts employ a combination of lithium ceramic as a breeder and beryllium as a multiplier. In this case, considering that huge amount of beryllium are needed in fusion power plants, its handling difficulty and cost can be a major factor to be accounted for commercial use. Korea has proposed a Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) breeding blanket concept relevant to fusion power plants. Here, graphite is used as a reflector material by reducing the amount of beryllium multiplier. Its feasibility has been investigated in view point of the nuclear performance as well as material-related issues. In this paper, a nuclear analysis is performed under the fusion reactor condition to address the feasibility of graphite reflector in breeding blanket, considering tritium breeding capability and neutron shielding and activation aspects. Also, the chemical stability of the graphite is investigated considering the chemical stability under accident conditions, resulting in that the adaptation of graphite reflector in breeding blanket is intrinsically safe and plausible under fusion reactor condition.

Feasibility study of fusion breeding blanket concept employing graphite reflector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Seungyon, E-mail: sycho@nfri.re.kr [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Ahn, Mu-Young [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Cheol Woo; Kim, Eung Seon [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Yi-Hyun; Lee, Youngmin [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Dong Won [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-10-15

Highlights: • A Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) breeding blanket concept adopts graphite as a reflector material by reducing the amount of beryllium multiplier. • Its feasibility was investigated in view point of the nuclear performance as well as material-related issues. • A nuclear analysis is performed under the fusion reactor condition to address the feasibility of graphite reflector in breeding blanket. • Also, the chemical stability of the graphite is investigated considering the chemical stability under accident conditions. • In conclusion, the adaptation of graphite reflector in breeding blanket is intrinsically safe and plausible under fusion reactor condition. - Abstract: To obtain high tritium breeding performance with limited blanket thickness, most of solid breeder blanket concepts employ a combination of lithium ceramic as a breeder and beryllium as a multiplier. In this case, considering that huge amount of beryllium are needed in fusion power plants, its handling difficulty and cost can be a major factor to be accounted for commercial use. Korea has proposed a Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) breeding blanket concept relevant to fusion power plants. Here, graphite is used as a reflector material by reducing the amount of beryllium multiplier. Its feasibility has been investigated in view point of the nuclear performance as well as material-related issues. In this paper, a nuclear analysis is performed under the fusion reactor condition to address the feasibility of graphite reflector in breeding blanket, considering tritium breeding capability and neutron shielding and activation aspects. Also, the chemical stability of the graphite is investigated considering the chemical stability under accident conditions, resulting in that the adaptation of graphite reflector in breeding blanket is intrinsically safe and plausible under fusion reactor condition.

Inhibition of oxidation in nuclear graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winston, Philip L.; Sterbentz, James W.; Windes, William E.

2015-01-01

Graphite is a fundamental material of high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors, providing both structure and neutron moderation. Its high thermal conductivity, chemical inertness, thermal heat capacity, and high thermal structural stability under normal and off-normal conditions contribute to the inherent safety of these reactor designs. One of the primary safety issues for a high-temperature graphite reactor core is the possibility of rapid oxidation of the carbon structure during an off-normal design basis event where an oxidising atmosphere (air ingress) can be introduced to the hot core. Although the current Generation IV high-temperature reactor designs attempt to mitigate any damage caused by a postulated air ingress event, the use of graphite components that inhibit oxidation is a logical step to increase the safety of these reactors. Recent experimental studies of graphite containing between 5.5 and 7 wt% boron carbide (B 4 C) indicate that oxidation is dramatically reduced even at prolonged exposures at temperatures up to 900 deg. C. The proposed addition of B 4 C to graphite components in the nuclear core would necessarily be enriched in B-11 isotope in order to minimise B-10 neutron absorption and graphite swelling. The enriched boron can be added to the graphite during billet fabrication. Experimental oxidation rate results and potential applications for borated graphite in nuclear reactor components will be discussed. (authors)

Trapping and detrapping of hydrogen in graphite materials exposed to hydrogen gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atsumi, Hisao; Iseki, Michio; Shikama, Tatsuo.

1994-01-01

Measurements of hydrogen solubility have been performed for several unirradiated and neutron-irradiated graphite (and CFC) samples at temperatures between 973 and 1323 K under a ∼10 kPa hydrogen atmosphere. The hydrogen dissolution process has been studied and it is discussed here. The values of hydrogen solubility vary substantially among the samples up to about a factor of 16. A strong correlation has been observed between the values of hydrogen solubility and the degrees of graphitization determined by X-ray diffraction technique. The relation can be extended even for the neutron irradiated samples. Hydrogen dissolution into graphite can be explained with the trapping of hydrogen at defect sites (e.g. dangling carbon bonds) considering an equilibrium reaction between hydrogen molecules and the trapping sites. The migration of hydrogen in graphite is speculated to result from a sequence of detrapping and retrapping events with high energy activation processes. (author)

Electrical and thermal properties of graphite/polyaniline composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bourdo, Shawn E., E-mail: sxbourdo@ualr.edu [Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 South University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204 (United States); Warford, Brock A.; Viswanathan, Tito [Department of Chemistry, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 2801 South University Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72204 (United States)

2012-12-15

A composite of a carbon allotrope (graphite) and an inherently conducting polymer, polyaniline (PANI), has been prepared that exhibits an electrical conductivity greater than either of the two components. An almost 2-fold increase in the bulk conductivity occurs when only a small mass fraction of polyaniline exists in the composite (91% graphite/ 9% polyaniline, by mass). This increase in dc electrical conductivity is curious since in most cases a composite material will exhibit a conductivity somewhere between the two individual components, unless a modification to the electronic nature of the material occurs. In order to elucidate the fundamental electrical properties of the composite we have performed variable temperature conductivity measurements to better understand the nature of conduction in these materials. The results from these studies suggest a change in the mechanism of conduction as the amount of polyaniline is increased in the composite. Along with superior electrical properties, the composites exhibit an increase in thermal stability as compared to the graphite. - Graphical abstract: (Left) Room temperature electrical conductivity of G-PANI composites at different mass ratios. (Right) Electrical conductivity of G-PANI composites at temperatures from 5 K to 300 K. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Composites of graphite and polyaniline have been synthesized with unique electrical and thermal properties. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Certain G-PANI composites are more conductive and more thermally stable than graphite alone. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer G-PANI composites exhibit a larger conductivity ratio with respect to temperature than graphite alone.

Study on graphite samples for nuclear usage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suarez, J.C.M.; Silva Roseira, M. da

1994-01-01

Available as short communication only. The graphite, due to its properties (mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, high-temperature stability, machinability etc.) have many industrial applications, and consequently, an important strategic value. In the nuclear area, it has been used as moderator and reflector of neutrons in the fission process of uranium. The graphite can be produced from many types of carbonaceous materials by a variety of process dominated by the manufactures. This is the reason why there are in the world market a lot of graphite types with different physical and mechanical properties. The present investigation studies some physical characteristics of the graphite samples destined to use in a nuclear reactor. (author). 8 refs, 1 fig, 1 tab

Automotive body panel containing thermally exfoliated graphite oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'Homme, Robert K. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor); Adamson, Douglas (Inventor); Abdala, Ahmed (Inventor)

2011-01-01

An automotive body panel containing a polymer composite formed of at least one polymer and a modified graphite oxide material, which is a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 m.sup.2/g to 2600 m.sup.2/g.

Special graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leveque, P.

1964-01-01

A large fraction of the work undertaken jointly by the Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA) and the Pechiney Company has been the improvement of the properties of nuclear pile graphite and the opening up of new fields of graphite application. New processes for the manufacture of carbons and special graphites have been developed: forged graphite, pyro-carbons, high density graphite agglomeration of graphite powders by cracking of natural gas, impervious graphites. The physical properties of these products and their reaction with various oxidising gases are described. The first irradiation results are also given. (authors) [fr

Evaluation of the graphite electrode DC arc furnace for the treatment of INEL buried wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surma, J.E.; Freeman, C.J.; Powell, T.D.; Cohn, D.R.; Smatlak, D.L.; Thomas, P.; Woskov, P.P.

1993-06-01

The past practices of DOE and its predecessor agencies in burying radioactive and hazardous wastes have left DOE with the responsibility of remediating large volumes of buried wastes and contaminated soils. The Buried Waste Integrated Demonstration (BWID), has chosen to evaluate treatment of buried wastes at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Because of the characteristics of the buried wastes, the potential for using high-temperature thermal treatment technologies is being evaluated. The soil-waste mixture at INEL, when melted or vitrified, produces a glass/ceramic referred to as iron-enriched basalt (IEB). One potential problem with producing the IEB material is the high melting temperature of the waste and soil (1,400-1,600 degrees C). One technology that has demonstrated capabilities to process high melting point materials is the plasma arc heated furnace. A three-party program was initiated and the program involved testing an engineering-scale DC arc furnace to gain preliminary operational and waste processibility information. It also included the design, fabrication, and evaluation of a second-generation, pilot-scale graphite electrode DC arc furnace. Widely ranging simulants of INEL buried waste were prepared and processed in the Mark I furnace. The tests included melting of soils with metals, sludges, combustibles, and simulated drums. Very promising results in terms of waste product quality, volume reduction, heating efficiency, and operational reliability and versatility were obtained. The results indicate that the graphite electrode DC arc technology would be very well suited for treating high melting point wastes such as those found at INEL. The graphite electrode DC arc furnace has been demonstrated to be very simple, yet effective, with excellent prospects for remote or semi-remote operation

High temperature soldering of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anikin, L.T.; Kravetskij, G.A.; Dergunova, V.S.

1977-01-01

The effect is studied of the brazing temperature on the strength of the brazed joint of graphite materials. In one case, iron and nickel are used as solder, and in another, molybdenum. The contact heating of the iron and nickel with the graphite has been studied in the temperature range of 1400-2400 ged C, and molybdenum, 2200-2600 deg C. The quality of the joints has been judged by the tensile strength at temperatures of 2500-2800 deg C and by the microstructure. An investigation into the kinetics of carbon dissolution in molten iron has shown that the failure of the graphite in contact with the iron melt is due to the incorporation of iron atoms in the interbase planes. The strength of a joint formed with the participation of the vapour-gas phase is 2.5 times higher than that of a joint obtained by graphite recrystallization through the carbon-containing metal melt. The critical temperatures are determined of graphite brazing with nickel, iron, and molybdenum interlayers, which sharply increase the strength of the brazed joint as a result of the formation of a vapour-gas phase and deposition of fine-crystal carbon

Manufacturing of copper-graphite brushes for automobile applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Answar, M.Y.

2006-01-01

Copper-graphite brushes are used in high-volume automotive applications, such as ignition switches, window lifts, wiper motors, engine cooling fans, ABS break system and seat actuators etc. The amount of graphite in these brushes may range from 5 -20 wt. %. In this paper, some of the results of a study carried out using locally produced electrolytic copper powder and imported graphite powder are being summarized. The green compacts were produced by compaction at 650 MPa. These compacts were sintered at temperatures between 950 to 1050 degree C for various time intervals. The effects of sintering temperatures and time on the properties are analyzed. The influence of small additions of zinc on hardness of the sintered alloy compacts is also investigated. (author)

Development of mercury porosimeter. Application to nuclear graphite studies (1961); Mise au point d'un porosimetre a mercure. Application a l'etude des graphites nucleaires (1961)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bocquet, M; Genisson, J; Sailleau, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1961-07-01

A mercury porosimeter, model IFP-CEA, has been developed for application to nuclear graphite studies. The apparatus is based on the capillary depression phenomenon. The relationship between the radius of a pore and the pressure at which mercury fills it is pr = -2 {sigma} cos {theta} ( {sigma} is the surface tension, {theta} the angle of contact of the mercury). After some theoretical consideration, the apparatus is described. The mercury pressure is increased step-wise from 0 to 1000 kg/cm{sup 2} thus yielding the complete distribution of pores from 92 {mu} to 75 A. Results are, then presented concerning nuclear graphites which show the evolution of the porous structure under the effect of bitumen impregnation. In general, the volume of the large pores decreases while that of the small pores increases. The structure of impregnated products appears to depend to a certain extent on that of the starting materials. It has also been possible to study other products with this porosimeter; the range of measurements possible is such that it may be used for the study of the majority of porous materials. (authors) [French] Un porosimetre a mercure modele IFP-CEA a ete mis au point en vue de son application a l'etude de graphites nucleaires. Le fonctionnement de l'appareil repose sur le phenomene de depression capillaire. On etablit la relation existant entre le rayon r d'un pore et la pression p pour laquelle le mercure peut y penetrer: pr = -2 {sigma} cos {theta} ( {sigma} tension superficielle, {theta} angle de contact du mercure). Apres quelques considerations theoriques, l'appareil utilise est decrit. Il permet de faire varier par palier la pression du mercure entre 0 et 1000 kg/cm{sup 2} et d'etablir ainsi la distribution complete des rayons de pores compris entre 92 {mu} et 75 A. Les resultats d'une etude faite sur des graphites nucleaires sont alors presentes faisant apparaitre l'evolution de la structure poreuse sous l'effet des impregnations au brai. D'une facon

Study on thermal conductivity of HTR spherical fuel element matrix graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Kaihong; Liu Xiaoxue; Zhao Hongsheng; Li Ziqiang; Tang Chunhe

2014-01-01

Taking the spherical fuel element matrix graphite ball samples as an example, this paper introduced the principle and method of laser thermal conductivity meter, as well as the specific heat capacity, and analyzed the effects of different test methods and sampling methods on the thermal conductivities at 1000 ℃ of graphite material. The experimental results show that the thermal conductivities of graphite materials tested by synchronous thermal analyzer combining with laser thermal conductivity meter were different from that directly by laser thermal conductivity meter, the former was more reliable and accurate than the later; When sampling from different positions, central samples had higher thermal conductivities than edging samples, which was related to the material density and porosity at the different locations; the thermal conductivities had obvious distinction between samples from different directions, which was because the layer structure of polycrystalline graphite preferred orientation under pressure, generally speaking, the thermal conductivities perpendicular to the molding direction were higher than that parallel to the molding direction. Besides this, the test results show that the thermal conductivities of all the graphite material samples were greater than 30 W/(m (K), achieving the thermal performance index of high temperature gas cooled reactor. (authors)

Graphite fiber/copper composites prepared by spontaneous infiltration

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hongbao; Tao, Zechao; Li, Xiangfen; Yan, Xi; Liu, Zhanjun; Guo, Quangui

2018-05-01

The major bottleneck in developing graphite fiber reinforced copper (GF/Cu) composites is the poor wettability of Cu/graphite system. Alloying element of chromium (Cr) is introduced to improve the wettability of liquid copper on graphite. Sessile drop method experiments illustrate that the contact angle of liquid Cu-Cr (1.0 wt.%) alloy on graphite substrate decreases to 43° at 1300 °C. The improvement of wettability is related to the formation of chromium carbide layer at interface zone. Based on the wetting experiment, a spontaneous infiltration method for preparing GF/Cu composites is proposed. Unidirectional GF preforms are infiltrated by Cu-Cr alloys without external pressure in a tubular furnace. Results reveal that the GF preform can be fully infiltrated by Cu-Cr alloy (8 wt.%) spontaneously when fiber volume fraction is 40%. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of GF/Cu-Cr (8.0 wt.%) composites is 4.68 × 10-6/K along the longitudinal direction.

Non-activated high surface area expanded graphite oxide for supercapacitors

Science.gov (United States)

Vermisoglou, E. C.; Giannakopoulou, T.; Romanos, G. E.; Boukos, N.; Giannouri, M.; Lei, C.; Lekakou, C.; Trapalis, C.

2015-12-01

Microwave irradiation of graphite oxide constitutes a facile route toward production of reduced graphene oxide, since during this treatment both exfoliation and reduction of graphite oxide occurs. In this work, the effect of pristine graphite (type, size of flakes), pretreatment and oxidation cycles on the finally produced expanded material was examined. All the types of graphite that were tested afforded materials with high BET surface areas ranging from 940 m2/g to 2490 m2/g, without intervening an activation stage at elevated temperature. SEM and TEM images displayed exfoliated structures, where the flakes were significantly detached and curved. The quality of the reduced graphene oxide sheets was evidenced both by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The electrode material capacitance was determined via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The materials with PEDOT binder had better performance (∼97 F/g) at low operation rates while those with PVDF binder performed better (∼20 F/g) at higher rates, opening up perspectives for their application in supercapacitors.

Progress in Developing Finite Element Models Replicating Flexural Graphite Testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bratton, Robert

2010-01-01

This report documents the status of flexural strength evaluations from current ASTM procedures and of developing finite element models predicting the probability of failure. This work is covered under QLD REC-00030. Flexural testing procedures of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) assume a linear elastic material that has the same moduli for tension and compression. Contrary to this assumption, graphite is known to have different moduli for tension and compression. A finite element model was developed and demonstrated that accounts for the difference in moduli tension and compression. Brittle materials such as graphite exhibit significant scatter in tensile strength, so probabilistic design approaches must be used when designing components fabricated from brittle materials. ASTM procedures predicting probability of failure in ceramics were compared to methods from the current version of the ASME graphite core components rules predicting probability of failure. Using the ASTM procedures yields failure curves at lower applied forces than the ASME rules. A journal paper was published in the Journal of Nuclear Engineering and Design exploring the statistical models of fracture in graphite.

Investigation of Pristine Graphite Oxide as Room-Temperature Chemiresistive Ammonia Gas Sensing Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander G. Bannov

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Graphite oxide has been investigated as a possible room-temperature chemiresistive sensor of ammonia in a gas phase. Graphite oxide was synthesized from high purity graphite using the modified Hummers method. The graphite oxide sample was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. Sensing properties were tested in a wide range of ammonia concentrations in air (10–1000 ppm and under different relative humidity levels (3%–65%. It was concluded that the graphite oxide–based sensor possessed a good response to NH3 in dry synthetic air (ΔR/R0 ranged from 2.5% to 7.4% for concentrations of 100–500 ppm and 3% relative humidity with negligible cross-sensitivity towards H2 and CH4. It was determined that the sensor recovery rate was improved with ammonia concentration growth. Increasing the ambient relative humidity led to an increase of the sensor response. The highest response of 22.2% for 100 ppm of ammonia was achieved at a 65% relative humidity level.

Preparation of graphite derivatives by selective reduction of graphite oxide and isocyanate functionalization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santha Kumar, Arunjunai Raja Shankar [Materials Science Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 721302, West Bengal (India); Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden (Germany); Piana, Francesco [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden (Germany); Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden (Germany); Mičušík, Matej [Polymer Institute, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta 9, 845 41, Bratislava (Slovakia); Pionteck, Jürgen, E-mail: pionteck@ipfdd.de [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden (Germany); Banerjee, Susanta [Materials Science Centre, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, 721302, West Bengal (India); Voit, Brigitte [Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung Dresden e.V., Hohe Straße 6, 01069, Dresden (Germany); Organic Chemistry of Polymers, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden (Germany)

2016-10-01

Heavily oxidized and ordered graphene nanoplatelets were produced from natural graphite by oxidation using a mixture of phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid, and potassium permanganate (Marcano's method). The atomic percentage of oxygen in the graphite oxide produced was more than 30% confirmed by XPS studies. The graphite oxide produced had intact basal planes and remains in a layered structure with interlayer distance of 0.8 nm, analyzed by WAXS. The graphite oxide was treated with 4,4′-methylenebis(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) to produce grafted isocyanate functionalization. Introduction of these bulky functional groups widens the interlayer distance to 1.3 nm. In addition, two reduction methods, namely benzyl alcohol mediated reduction and thermal reduction were carried out on isocyanate modified and unmodified graphite oxides and compared to each other. The decrease in the oxygen content and the sp{sup 3} defect-repair were studied with XPS and RAMAN spectroscopy. Compared to the thermal reduction process, which is connected with large material loss, the benzyl alcohol mediated reduction process is highly effective in defect repair. This resulted in an increase of conductivity of at least 9 orders of magnitude compared to the graphite oxide. - Highlights: • Preparation of GO by Marcano's method results in defined interlayer spacing. • Treatment of GO with diisocyanate widens the interlayer spacing to 1.3 nm. • Chemical reduction of GO with benzyl alcohol is effective in defect repair. • Electrical conductivity increases by 9 orders of magnitude during chemical reduction. • The isocyanate functionalization is stable under chemical reducing conditions.

Thermal characterization of nitrates and nitrates/expanded graphite mixture phase change materials for solar energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, X.; Zhang, P.; Li, M.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The addition of expanded graphite improved apparent thermal conductivity significantly. • The quadratic parallel model was used to predict the effective thermal conductivity. • The melting/freezing temperatures of mixture PCMs shifted slightly with adding of EG. - Abstract: Solar energy storage has become more attractive in recent years. In particular, latent thermal energy storage (LTES) with large energy storage density and isothermal heat storage/retrieval characteristics is a hot research topic. In the present study, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate and their mixture were used as the base materials, and expanded graphite (EG) with high thermal conductivity and thermo-chemical stability was used as an additive to enhance the thermal conductivity. EG with various mass fractions was added to the base materials to form mixture phase change materials (PCMs), and the thermal characteristics of the mixtures were studied extensively. The transient hot-wire tests showed that the addition of EG enhanced the apparent thermal conductivity significantly, e.g. the apparent thermal conductivity of the nitrates/10 wt.% EG mixture PCM was increased by about 30–40%. The test results showed good agreement with theoretical calculations of the quadratic parallel model. Tests with differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) revealed that the melting/freezing temperatures of the mixture PCMs shifted slightly, compared with those of pure nitrates

Method for producing dustless graphite spheres from waste graphite fines

Science.gov (United States)

Pappano, Peter J [Oak Ridge, TN; Rogers, Michael R [Clinton, TN

2012-05-08

A method for producing graphite spheres from graphite fines by charging a quantity of spherical media into a rotatable cylindrical overcoater, charging a quantity of graphite fines into the overcoater thereby forming a first mixture of spherical media and graphite fines, rotating the overcoater at a speed such that the first mixture climbs the wall of the overcoater before rolling back down to the bottom thereby forming a second mixture of spherical media, graphite fines, and graphite spheres, removing the second mixture from the overcoater, sieving the second mixture to separate graphite spheres, charging the first mixture back into the overcoater, charging an additional quantity of graphite fines into the overcoater, adjusting processing parameters like overcoater dimensions, graphite fines charge, overcoater rotation speed, overcoater angle of rotation, and overcoater time of rotation, before repeating the steps until graphite fines are converted to graphite spheres.

Modeling Fission Product Sorption in Graphite Structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szlufarska, Izabela; Morgan, Dane; Allen, Todd

2013-01-01

The goal of this project is to determine changes in adsorption and desorption of fission products to/from nuclear-grade graphite in response to a changing chemical environment. First, the project team will employ principle calculations and thermodynamic analysis to predict stability of fission products on graphite in the presence of structural defects commonly observed in very high-temperature reactor (VHTR) graphites. Desorption rates will be determined as a function of partial pressure of oxygen and iodine, relative humidity, and temperature. They will then carry out experimental characterization to determine the statistical distribution of structural features. This structural information will yield distributions of binding sites to be used as an input for a sorption model. Sorption isotherms calculated under this project will contribute to understanding of the physical bases of the source terms that are used in higher-level codes that model fission product transport and retention in graphite. The project will include the following tasks: Perform structural characterization of the VHTR graphite to determine crystallographic phases, defect structures and their distribution, volume fraction of coke, and amount of sp2 versus sp3 bonding. This information will be used as guidance for ab initio modeling and as input for sorptivity models; Perform ab initio calculations of binding energies to determine stability of fission products on the different sorption sites present in nuclear graphite microstructures. The project will use density functional theory (DFT) methods to calculate binding energies in vacuum and in oxidizing environments. The team will also calculate stability of iodine complexes with fission products on graphite sorption sites; Model graphite sorption isotherms to quantify concentration of fission products in graphite. The binding energies will be combined with a Langmuir isotherm statistical model to predict the sorbed concentration of fission products

Evaluation of microstructures and oxidation behaviors of graphite for core support structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Soo Jin; Bae, Kyung Min

2010-03-01

This work studies the oxidation-induced characteristics of five nuclear graphites (NBG-17, NBG-18, NBG-25, IG-110, and IG-430). The oxidation characteristics of the nuclear graphites were measured at 600 .deg. C. The surface properties of the oxidation graphites were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle methods. The N2/77K adsorption isotherm characteristics, including the specific surface area and micropore volume, were investigated by means of BET and t-plot methods. The experimental results show an increase in the average pore size of graphites; they also show that oxidation produces the surface functional groups on the graphite surfaces. The surface area of each graphite behaves in a unique manner. For example the surface area of NBG-17 increases slightly whereas the surface area of IG-110 increases significantly. This result confirms that the original surface state of each graphite is unique

Dependence of strength on particle size in graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, E.P.; Kennedy, C.R.

The strength to particle size relationship for specially fabricated graphites has been demonstrated and rationalized using fracture mechanics. In the past, similar studies have yielded empirical data using only commercially available material. Thus, experimental verification of these relationships has been difficult. However, the graphites of this study were fabricated by controlling the particle size ranges for a series of isotropic graphites. All graphites that were evaluated had a constant 1.85 g/cm 3 density. Thus, particle size was the only variable. This study also considered the particle size effect on other physical properties; coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), electrical resistivity, fracture strain, and Young's modulus

Asymptomatic Intracorneal Graphite Deposits following Graphite Pencil Injury

OpenAIRE

Philip, Swetha Sara; John, Deepa; John, Sheeja Susan

2012-01-01

Reports of graphite pencil lead injuries to the eye are rare. Although graphite is considered to remain inert in the eye, it has been known to cause severe inflammation and damage to ocular structures. We report a case of a 12-year-old girl with intracorneal graphite foreign bodies following a graphite pencil injury.

USE OF GRANULAR GRAPHITE FOR ELECTROLYTIC DECHLORINATION OF TRICHLOROETHYLENE

Science.gov (United States)

Granular graphite is a potential electrode material for the electrochemical remediation of refractory chlorinated organic compounds such as trichloroethylene (TCE). However, the use of granular graphite can complicate the experimental results. On one hand, up to 99% of TCE was re...

Delamination in surface plies of graphite/epoxy caused by the edge trimming process

Science.gov (United States)

Colligan, K.; Ramulu, M.

Delamination in surface plies of graphite/epoxy laminates caused by edge trimming using polycrystalline diamond (PCD) and carbide cutters is investigated. The effect of several machining variables on formation of delaminations in the surface plies of a graphite fiber reinforced composite material is presented. Machining tests were performed to assess the impact of cutter geometry, feedrate, rotation direction, and graphite fiber orientation. Three typical delamination modes were observed and documented. Feedrate was found to have a significant effect on surface ply delamination in graphite/epoxy composite materials.

Germanium Nanowires-in-Graphite Tubes via Self-Catalyzed Synergetic Confined Growth and Shell-Splitting Enhanced Li-Storage Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yong; Jin, Shuaixing; Yang, Guowei; Wang, Jing; Wang, Chengxin

2015-04-28

Despite the high theoretical capacity, pure Ge has various difficulties such as significant volume expansion and electron and Li(+) transfer problems, when applied as anode materials in lithium ion battery (LIB), for which the solution would finally rely on rational design like advanced structures and available hybrid. Here in this work, we report a one-step synthesis of Ge nanowires-in-graphite tubes (GNIGTs) with the liquid Ge/C synergetic confined growth method. The structure exhibits impressing LIB behavior in terms of both cyclic stability and rate performance. We found the semiclosed graphite shell with thickness of ∼50 layers experience an interesting splitting process that was driven by electrolyte diffusion, which occurs before the Ge-Li alloying plateau begins. Two types of different splitting mechanism addressed as "inside-out"/zipper effect and "outside-in" dominate this process, which are resulted from the SEI layer growing longitudinally along the Ge-graphite interface and the lateral diffusion of Li(+) across the shell, respectively. The former mechanism is the predominant way driving the initial shell to split, which behaves like a zipper with SEI layer as invisible puller. After repeated Li(+) insertion/exaction, the GNIGTs configuration is finally reconstructed by forming Ge nanowires-thin graphite strip hybrid, both of which are in close contact, resulting in enormous enchantment to the electrons/Li(+) transport. These features make the structures perform well as anode material in LIB. We believe both the progress in 1D assembly and the structure evolution of this Ge-C composite would contribute to the design of advanced LIB anode materials.

Comparative analysis of graphite oxidation behaviour based on microstructure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badenhorst, Heinrich, E-mail: heinrich.badenhorst@up.ac.za; Focke, Walter

2013-11-15

Two unidentified powdered graphite samples, from a natural and a synthetic origin respectively, were examined. These materials are intended for use in nuclear applications, but have an unknown treatment history since they are considered proprietary. In order to establish a baseline for comparison, the samples were compared to two commercial flake natural graphite samples with varying impurity levels. The samples were characterized by conventional techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence. The results indicated that all four samples were very similar, with low impurity levels and good crystallinity, yet they exhibit remarkably different oxidation behaviours. The oxidized microstructures of the materials were examined using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy at low acceleration voltages. The relative influence of each factor affecting the oxidation was established, enabling a structured comparison of the different oxidative behaviours. Based on this analysis, it was possible to account for the measured differences in oxidative reactivity. The material with the lowest reactivity was a flake natural graphite which was characterized as having highly visible crystalline perfection, large particles with a high aspect ratio and no traces of catalytic activity. The second sample, which had an identical inherent microstructure, was found to have an increased reactivity due to the presence of small catalytic impurities. This material also exhibited a more gradual reduction in the oxidation rate at higher conversion, caused by the accumulation of particles which impede the oxidation. The sample with the highest reactivity was found to be a milled, natural graphite material, despite its evident crystallinity. The increased reactivity was attributable to a smaller particle size, the presence of catalytic impurities and extensive damage to the particle structure caused by jet milling. Despite displaying the lowest levels of

Development and engineering plan for graphite spent fuels conditioning program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendixsen, C.L.; Fillmore, D.L.; Kirkham, R.J.; Lord, D.L.; Phillips, M.B.; Pinto, A.P.; Staiger, M.D.

1993-09-01

Irradiated (or spent) graphite fuel stored at the Idaho Chemical Processing Plant (ICPP) includes Fort St. Vrain (FSV) reactor and Peach Bottom reactor spent fuels. Conditioning and disposal of spent graphite fuels presently includes three broad alternatives: (1) direct disposal with minimum fuel packaging or conditioning, (2) mechanical disassembly of spent fuel into high-level waste and low-level waste portions to minimize geologic repository requirements, and (3) waste-volume reduction via burning of bulk graphite and other spent fuel chemical processing of the spent fuel. A multi-year program for the engineering development and demonstration of conditioning processes is described. Program costs, schedules, and facility requirements are estimated

Crystallization degree change of expanded graphite by milling and annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Qunwei; Wu Jihuai; Sun Hui; Fang Shijun

2009-01-01

Expanded graphite was ball milled with a planetary mill in air atmosphere, and subsequently thermal annealed. The samples were characterized by using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). It was found that in the milling initial stage (less than 12 h), the crystallization degree of the expanded graphite declined gradually, but after milling more than 16 h, a recrystallization of the expanded graphite toke place, and ordered nanoscale expanded graphite was formed gradually. In the annealing initial stage, the non-crystallization of the graphite occurred, but, beyond an annealing time, recrystallizations of the graphite arise. Higher annealing temperature supported the recrystallization. The milled and annealed expanded graphite still preserved the crystalline structure as raw material and hold high thermal stability.

Large-scale preparation of hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng, Jun; Li, Fu; Bai, Yu-Jun; Han, Fu-Dong; Qi, Yong-Xin; Lun, Ning; Lu, Xi-Feng

2013-01-01

Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres (HGCNSs) were synthesized on large scale by a simple reaction between glucose and Mg at 550 °C in an autoclave. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrates the formation of HGCNSs with an average diameter of 10 nm or so and a wall thickness of a few graphenes. The HGCNSs exhibit a reversible capacity of 391 mAh g −1 after 60 cycles when used as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. -- Graphical abstract: Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres could be prepared on large scale by the simple reaction between glucose and Mg at 550 °C, which exhibit superior electrochemical performance to graphite. Highlights: ► Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres (HGCNSs) were prepared on large scale at 550 °C ► The preparation is simple, effective and eco-friendly. ► The in situ yielded MgO nanocrystals promote the graphitization. ► The HGCNSs exhibit superior electrochemical performance to graphite.

Graphite selection for the FMIT test cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morgan, W.C.

1982-06-01

This document provides the basis for procuring a grade of graphite, at minimum cost, having minimum dimensional changes at low irradiation temperatures (nominal range 90 to 140 0 C). In light of those constraints, the author concludes that the most feasible approach is to attempt to reproduce a grade of graphite (TSGBF) which has exhibited a high degree of dimensional stability during low-temperature irradiations and on which irradiation-induced changes in other physical properties have been measured. The effects of differences in raw materials, especially coke morphology, and processing conditions, primarily graphitization temperture are briefly reviewed in terms of the practicality of producing a new grade of graphite with physical properties and irradiation-induced changes which would be very similar to those of TSGBF graphite. The production history and physical properties of TSGBF are also reviewed; no attempt is made, to project changes in dimensions or physical properties under the projected irradiation conditions

Characterization of radiation damage induced by swift heavy ions in graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hubert, Christian

2016-05-15

Graphite is a classical material in neutron radiation environments, being widely used in nuclear reactors and power plants as a moderator. For high energy particle accelerators, graphite provides ideal material properties because of the low Z of carbon and its corresponding low stopping power, thus when ion projectiles interact with graphite is the energy deposition rather low. This work aims to improve the understanding of how the irradiation with swift heavy ions (SHI) of kinetic energies in the range of MeV to GeV affects the structure of graphite and other carbon-based materials. Special focus of this project is given to beam induced changes of thermo-mechanical properties. For this purpose the Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and glassy carbon (GC) (both serving as model materials), isotropic high density polycrystalline graphite (PG) and other carbon based materials like carbon fiber carbon composites (CFC), chemically expanded graphite (FG) and molybdenum carbide enhanced graphite composites (MoC) were exposed to different ions ranging from {sup 131}Xe to {sup 238}U provided by the UNILAC accelerator at GSI in Darmstadt, Germany. To investigate structural changes, various in-situ and off-line measurements were performed including Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and x-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. Thermo-mechanical properties were investigated using the laser-flash-analysis method, differential scanning calorimetry, micro/nano-indentation and 4-point electrical resistivity measurements. Beam induced stresses were investigated using profilometry. Obtained results provided clear evidence that ion beam-induced radiation damage leads to structural changes and degradation of thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of graphite. PG transforms towards a disordered sp2 structure, comparable to GC at high fluences. Irradiation-induced embrittlement is strongly reducing the lifetime of most high-dose exposed accelerator components. For

Superconductivity in graphite intercalation compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, Robert P.; Weller, Thomas E.; Howard, Christopher A.; Dean, Mark P.M.; Rahnejat, Kaveh C.; Saxena, Siddharth S.; Ellerby, Mark

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Historical background of graphite intercalates. • Superconductivity in graphite intercalates and its place in the field of superconductivity. • Recent developments. • Relevant modeling of superconductivity in graphite intercalates. • Interpretations that pertain and questions that remain. - Abstract: The field of superconductivity in the class of materials known as graphite intercalation compounds has a history dating back to the 1960s (Dresselhaus and Dresselhaus, 1981; Enoki et al., 2003). This paper recontextualizes the field in light of the discovery of superconductivity in CaC 6 and YbC 6 in 2005. In what follows, we outline the crystal structure and electronic structure of these and related compounds. We go on to experiments addressing the superconducting energy gap, lattice dynamics, pressure dependence, and how these relate to theoretical studies. The bulk of the evidence strongly supports a BCS superconducting state. However, important questions remain regarding which electronic states and phonon modes are most important for superconductivity, and whether current theoretical techniques can fully describe the dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on pressure and chemical composition

Superconductivity in graphite intercalation compounds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, Robert P. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Weller, Thomas E.; Howard, Christopher A. [Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College of London, Gower Street, London WCIE 6BT (United Kingdom); Dean, Mark P.M. [Department of Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Science, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Rahnejat, Kaveh C. [Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College of London, Gower Street, London WCIE 6BT (United Kingdom); Saxena, Siddharth S. [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Ellerby, Mark, E-mail: mark.ellerby@ucl.ac.uk [Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College of London, Gower Street, London WCIE 6BT (United Kingdom)

2015-07-15

Highlights: • Historical background of graphite intercalates. • Superconductivity in graphite intercalates and its place in the field of superconductivity. • Recent developments. • Relevant modeling of superconductivity in graphite intercalates. • Interpretations that pertain and questions that remain. - Abstract: The field of superconductivity in the class of materials known as graphite intercalation compounds has a history dating back to the 1960s (Dresselhaus and Dresselhaus, 1981; Enoki et al., 2003). This paper recontextualizes the field in light of the discovery of superconductivity in CaC{sub 6} and YbC{sub 6} in 2005. In what follows, we outline the crystal structure and electronic structure of these and related compounds. We go on to experiments addressing the superconducting energy gap, lattice dynamics, pressure dependence, and how these relate to theoretical studies. The bulk of the evidence strongly supports a BCS superconducting state. However, important questions remain regarding which electronic states and phonon modes are most important for superconductivity, and whether current theoretical techniques can fully describe the dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on pressure and chemical composition.

Proposal of a core model for the thorium molten salt reactor minimizing the quantity of graphite moderator in the core; Proposition d'un modele de coeur pour le RSF thorium minimisant la quantite de moderateur graphite en coeur

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nuttin, A

2004-06-01

In the present day TMSR design, the average power in the salt is about 200 W/cm{sup 3}, i.e. two times the one of MSBR. The average neutron flux in the core has doubled and the lifetime of graphite is two times lower. There is two approaches to solve this worrying problem: reducing the volume power to 50 W/cm{sup 3} or minimizing the amount of graphite used in the core. A solution should be to increase the volume power in order to reduce the core dimensions and thus the amount of graphite. By acting both on the total power ('economical' minimum of 1000 MWth) and on the average volume power ('physical' maximum of 500 W/cm{sup 3}) it is possible to reduce the core to a single channel or a single cylindrical ring and to concentrate graphite in a place easily accessible for its extraction and reprocessing. (J.S.)

Irradiation Creep in Graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ubic, Rick; Butt, Darryl; Windes, William

2014-03-13

An understanding of the underlying mechanisms of irradiation creep in graphite material is required to correctly interpret experimental data, explain micromechanical modeling results, and predict whole-core behavior. This project will focus on experimental microscopic data to demonstrate the mechanism of irradiation creep. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy should be able to image both the dislocations in graphite and the irradiation-induced interstitial clusters that pin those dislocations. The team will first prepare and characterize nanoscale samples of virgin nuclear graphite in a transmission electron microscope. Additional samples will be irradiated to varying degrees at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) facility and similarly characterized. Researchers will record microstructures and crystal defects and suggest a mechanism for irradiation creep based on the results. In addition, the purchase of a tensile holder for a transmission electron microscope will allow, for the first time, in situ observation of creep behavior on the microstructure and crystallographic defects.

Solvents effects on electrochemical characteristics of graphite fluoride-lithium batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nobuatsu, W.; Hidekazu, T.; Rika, H.; Tsuyoshi, N.

1982-11-01

A study was made of the electrochemical characteristics of graphite fluoride-lithium batteries in various non-aqueous solvents. Two types of graphite fluorides (C/sub 2/F) /SUB n/ and (CF) /SUB n/ were used as cathode materials. The discharge characteristics of graphite fluorides were better in dimethylsulfoxide, ..gamma..-butyrolactone, propylene carbonate and sulfolane in that order. The relation between electrod potential of graphite fluoride and solvation energy of lithium ion with each solvent indicates that solvated lithium ion is intercalated into graphite fluoride layers by the electrode reaction. Both the difference in the overpotentials and in the rates of OCV recovery among these solvents further supports the proposed reaction mechanism.

Strength degradation of oxidized graphite support column in VHTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Byung Ha; No, Hee Cheon

2010-01-01

Air-ingress events caused by large pipe breaks are important accidents considered in the design of Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactors (VHTRs). A main safety concern for this type of event is the possibility of core collapse following the failure of the graphite support column, which can be oxidized by ingressed air. In this study, the main target is to predict the strength of the oxidized graphite support column. Through compression tests for fresh and oxidized graphite columns, the compressive strength of IG-110 was obtained. The buckling strength of the IG-110 column is expressed using the following empirical straight-line formula: σ cr,buckling =91.34-1.01(L/r). Graphite oxidation in Zone 1 is volume reaction and that in Zone 3 is surface reaction. We notice that the ultimate strength of the graphite column oxidized in Zones 1 and 3 only depends on the slenderness ratio and bulk density. Its strength degradation oxidized in Zone 1 is expressed in the following nondimensional form: σ/σ 0 =exp(-kd), k=0.114. We found that the strength degradation of a graphite column, oxidized in Zone 3, follows the above buckling empirical formula as the slenderness of the column changes. (author)

New anode material for lithium-ion cells produced by catalytic graphitization of glassy carbon at 1000 degrees C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skowronski, J.M. [Poznan Univ. of Technology, Poznan (Poland). Inst. of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry; Central Lab. of Batteries and Cells, Poznan (Poland); Knofczynski, K. [Central Lab. of Batteries and Cells, Poznan (Poland)

2006-10-15

This study investigated the conversion of glassy carbon into graphite at relatively low temperature of 1000 degrees C under ambient pressure using iron powder as the catalyst. The composite product of reaction was a graphite and turbostratic carbon whose use was then examined in terms of application in lithium-ion cells. Glassy, hard carbon spheres of 10 to 15 {iota}m were prepared from phenolic resin in a nitrogen atmosphere and then subjected to heat treatment with an iron powder mixture. After cooling down to ambient temperature, the carbon/iron mixture was treated with diluted HCl solution to remove metallic additives. The modified carbon was then washed with distilled water until chloride ions disappeared in a filtrate. All samples were characterized using XRD analysis. Working electrodes for electrochemical measurements were made by mixing carbons with PVDF. Cyclic voltammograms recorded for unmodified and modified carbons were consistent with XRD measurements. SEM analysis revealed that the process of graphitization begins at the external regions of glassy carbon spheres where erosion occurs when the carbon reacts with iron particles. The surface destruction of carbon spheres progresses into the interior of the spheres, resulting in their collapse followed by the transformation into pallets resembling a stack of graphite sheets. It was noted that not all unorganized carbon was conversed to graphite. Rather, only 50 per cent of turbostratic carbon existed in the product of heat treatment. The product of graphitization appeared to be a promising material for the preparation of anodes for lithium-ion cells. The discharge capacity for carbon produced by catalytic treatment was found to be approximately 5 times higher, while the discharge/charge reversibility was 23 per cent higher than values obtained for untreated carbon. The study showed that the uptake of lithium ions by the original carbon depends on the insertion/deinsertion mechanism of hard carbon as well

Estimation of Graphite Dust Production in ITER TBM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Ji Ho; Kim, Eung Seon

2013-01-01

This scheme uses simple equations and the calculation time is much less than others. However, the contact equation requires a specially tuned material properties and instability of system matrix were reported. Second, only a couple of pebbles were modeled using FEM(Finite Element Method) and appropriate boundary and loading conditions are imposed. This scheme gives a detailed information of stress distribution of the pebbles and the stability of calculation is well established. However, the calculation cost is fairly high and only a few pebble can be analyzed in detail at a time with specifically assigned contact conditions. In this study, a prediction model of graphite dust production in ITER(International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) TBM(Test Blanket Module) using FEM was introduced and the amount of dust production for an operation cycle was estimated. In this study, graphite dust generation in the reflector zone of ITER TBM was estimated using FE analysis. A unit-cell model was defined to simulate normal contact forces and slip distances on contact points between the center pebble and the surrounding pebbles. The dust production was calculated using Archard equation. The simulation was repeated with different friction coefficient of graphite material to investigate the effect of friction on the dust production. The calculation result showed that the amount of dust production was 2.22∼3.67e-4 g/m 3 which was almost linearly proportional to the friction coefficient of graphite material. The amount of graphite dust production was considered too much small for a dust explosion

Preparation, characterization and thermal properties of binary nitrate salts/expanded graphite as composite phase change material

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiao, Junbing [School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, 510006 Guangzhou (China); Huang, Jin, E-mail: huangjiner@126.com [School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, 510006 Guangzhou (China); Zhu, Panpan; Wang, Changhong [School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, 510006 Guangzhou (China); Li, Xinxi [School of Materials and Energy, Guangdong University of Technology, 510006 Guangzhou (China); Center for Nanochemistry, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, State Key Laboratory for Structural Chemistry of Unstable and Stable Species, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing (China)

2014-07-01

Highlights: • The expanded graphite enhanced thermal conductivity coefficient greatly. • The aqueous solution method adopting ultrasonic was utilized to disperse EG. • The combination of composite was physical without chemical reaction. • The reduction on total latent heat was slight after the adding EG. - Abstract: The binary nitrate salts/expanded graphite (EG) composite phase change material (PCM) were prepared via adding different mass rate of EG to binary nitrate salts consisting of NaNO{sub 3} and KNO{sub 3} (6:4) by aqueous solution method adopting ultrasonic. The morphology and chemical composition of EG and the composite PCM were characterized and investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scan electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. Laser thermal conductivity instrument and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were employed to measure thermo physical properties. Drawing the conclusion from investigation, that EG had enhanced thermal conductivity coefficient which largely increased to 4.884 W/(m K) and reduced total latent heat by mostly 11.0%. The morphology and phase structure results indicated that EG were well dispersed into and physically combined with molten salts. In general, the prepared composite PCM could be a suitable phase change material for thermal energy storage.

Preparation, characterization and thermal properties of binary nitrate salts/expanded graphite as composite phase change material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao, Junbing; Huang, Jin; Zhu, Panpan; Wang, Changhong; Li, Xinxi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The expanded graphite enhanced thermal conductivity coefficient greatly. • The aqueous solution method adopting ultrasonic was utilized to disperse EG. • The combination of composite was physical without chemical reaction. • The reduction on total latent heat was slight after the adding EG. - Abstract: The binary nitrate salts/expanded graphite (EG) composite phase change material (PCM) were prepared via adding different mass rate of EG to binary nitrate salts consisting of NaNO 3 and KNO 3 (6:4) by aqueous solution method adopting ultrasonic. The morphology and chemical composition of EG and the composite PCM were characterized and investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scan electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. Laser thermal conductivity instrument and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) were employed to measure thermo physical properties. Drawing the conclusion from investigation, that EG had enhanced thermal conductivity coefficient which largely increased to 4.884 W/(m K) and reduced total latent heat by mostly 11.0%. The morphology and phase structure results indicated that EG were well dispersed into and physically combined with molten salts. In general, the prepared composite PCM could be a suitable phase change material for thermal energy storage

Graphitization in Carbon MEMS and Carbon NEMS

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Swati

Carbon MEMS (CMEMS) and Carbon NEMS (CNEMS) are an emerging class of miniaturized devices. Due to the numerous advantages such as scalable manufacturing processes, inexpensive and readily available precursor polymer materials, tunable surface properties and biocompatibility, carbon has become a preferred material for a wide variety of future sensing applications. Single suspended carbon nanowires (CNWs) integrated on CMEMS structures fabricated by electrospinning of SU8 photoresist on photolithographially patterned SU8 followed by pyrolysis are utilized for understanding the graphitization process in micro and nano carbon materials. These monolithic CNW-CMEMS structures enable the fabrication of very high aspect ratio CNWs of predefined length. The CNWs thus fabricated display core---shell structures having a graphitic shell with a glassy carbon core. The electrical conductivity of these CNWs is increased by about 100% compared to glassy carbon as a result of enhanced graphitization. We explore various tunable fabrication and pyrolysis parameters to improve graphitization in the resulting CNWs. We also suggest gas-sensing application of the thus fabricated single suspended CNW-CMEMS devices by using the CNW as a nano-hotplate for local chemical vapor deposition. In this thesis we also report on results from an optimization study of SU8 photoresist derived carbon electrodes. These electrodes were applied to the simultaneous detection of traces of Cd(II) and Pb(II) through anodic stripping voltammetry and detection limits as low as 0.7 and 0.8 microgL-1 were achieved. To further improve upon the electrochemical behavior of the carbon electrodes we elucidate a modified pyrolysis technique featuring an ultra-fast temperature ramp for obtaining bubbled porous carbon from lithographically patterned SU8. We conclude this dissertation by suggesting the possible future works on enhancing graphitization as well as on electrochemical applications

Simultaneous heating and compression of irradiated graphite during synchrotron microtomographic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Bodey, A. J.; Mileeva, Z.; Lowe, T.; Williamson-Brown, E.; Eastwood, D. S.; Simpson, C.; Titarenko, V.; Jones, A. N.; Rau, C.; Mummery, P. M.

2017-06-01

Nuclear graphite is used as a neutron moderator in fission power stations. To investigate the microstructural changes that occur during such use, it has been studied for the first time by X-ray microtomography with in situ heating and compression. This experiment was the first to involve simultaneous heating and mechanical loading of radioactive samples at Diamond Light Source, and represented the first study of radioactive materials at the Diamond-Manchester Imaging Branchline I13-2. Engineering methods and safety protocols were developed to ensure the safe containment of irradiated graphite as it was simultaneously compressed to 450N in a Deben 10kN Open-Frame Rig and heated to 300°C with dual focused infrared lamps. Central to safe containment was a double containment vessel which prevented escape of airborne particulates while enabling compression via a moveable ram and the transmission of infrared light to the sample. Temperature measurements were made in situ via thermocouple readout. During heating and compression, samples were simultaneously rotated and imaged with polychromatic X-rays. The resulting microtomograms are being studied via digital volume correlation to provide insights into how thermal expansion coefficients and microstructure are affected by irradiation history, load and heat. Such information will be key to improving the accuracy of graphite degradation models which inform safety margins at power stations.

Analysis of electrochemical disintegration process of graphite matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Lifang; Wen Mingfen; Chen Jing

2010-01-01

The electrochemical method with ammonium nitrate as electrolyte was studied to disintegrate the graphite matrix from the simulative fuel elements for high temperature gas-cooled reactor. The influences of process parameters, including salt concentration, system temperature and current density, on the disintegration rate of graphite fragments were investigated in the present work. The experimental results showed that the disintegration rate depended slightly on the temperature and salt concentration. The current density strongly affected the disintegration rate of graphite fragments. Furthermore, the content of introduced oxygen in final graphite fragments was independent of the current density and the concentration of electrolyte. Moreover, the structural evolution of graphite was analyzed based on the microstructural parameters determined by X-ray diffraction profile fitting analysis using MAUD (material analysis using diffraction) before and after the disintegration process. It may safely be concluded that the graphite disintegration can be ascribed to the influences of the intercalation of foreign molecules in between crystal planes and the partial oxidation involved. The disintegration process was described deeply composed of intercalate part and further oxidation part of carbon which effected together to lead to the collapse of graphite crystals.

Characteristics of first loaded IG-110 graphite in HTTR core

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumita, Junya; Shibata, Taiju; Iyoku, Tatsuo; Sawa, Kazuhiro; Hanawa, Satoshi; Ishihara, Masahiro

2006-10-01

IG-110 graphite is a fine-grained isotropic and nuclear-grade graphite with excellent resistivity on both irradiation and corrosion and with high strength. The IG-110 graphite is used for the graphite components of High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) such as fuel and control rod guide blocks and support posts. In order to design and fabricate the graphite components in the HTTR, the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (the Japan Atomic Energy Agency at present) had established the graphite structural design code and design data on the basis of former research results. After the design code establishment, the IG-110 graphite components were fabricated and loaded in the HTTR core. This report summarized the characteristics of the first loaded IG-110 graphite as basic data for surveillance test, measuring material characteristics changed by neutron irradiation and oxidation. By comparing the design data, it was shown that the first loaded IG-110 graphite had excellent strength properties and enough safety margins to the stress limits in the design code. (author)

Graphite structure and its relation to mechanical engineering design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brocklehurst, J.E.; Kelly, B.T.

1980-01-01

The inhomogeneous nature of polycrystalline graphite requires property measurements to be made over dimensions large enough to average the local variations in the structure. This is particularly true for mechanical integrity, and experimental data are presented which illustrate the importance of the real aggregate structure of graphite and the difficulties of interpreting strength data from different tests. The classical statistical treatments do not hold generally, and the problem of defining a failure criterion for graphite is discussed. It is suggested that the stress conditions in graphite components might be classified in terms of the dimensions and stress gradients related to the characteristic flaw size of the material as determined experimentally. (author)

Structure and Performance of Epoxy Resin Cladded Graphite Used as Anode

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhentao; Li, Haijun

This paper is concerning to prepare modified natural graphite which is low-cost and advanced materials used as lithium ion battery anode using the way of cladding natural graphite with epoxy resin. The results shows that the specific capacity and circular performance of the modified natural graphite, which is prepared in the range of 600°C and 1000°C, have been apparently improved compare with the not-modified natural graphite. The first reversible capacity of the modified natural graphite is 338mAh/g and maintain more than 330mAh/g after 20 charge/discharge circles.

Arsenic Removal from Water by Adsorption on Iron-Contaminated Cryptocrystalline Graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Qiang; Yang, Lang; Song, Shaoxian; Xia, Ling

This work aimed to study the feasibility of using iron-contaminated graphite as an adsorbent for As(V) removal from water. The adsorbent was prepared by grinding graphite concentrate with steel ball. The study was performed through the measurements of adsorption capacity, BET surface area and XPS analysis. The experimental results showed that the iron-contaminated graphite exhibited significantly high adsorption capacity of As(V). The higher the iron contaminated on the graphite surface, the higher the adsorption capacity of As(V) on the material obtained. It was suggested that the ion-contaminated graphite was a good adsorbent for As(V) removal.

Thermogravimetric and Differential Scanning Calorimetric Behavior of Ball-Milled Nuclear Graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Eung Seon; Kim, Min Hwan; Kim, Yong Wan [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Yi Hyun; Cho, Seung Yon [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

An examination was made to characterize the oxidation behavior of ball-milled nuclear graphite powder through a TG-DSC analysis. With the ball milling time, the BET surface area increased with the reduction of particle size, but decreased with the chemisorptions of O{sub 2} on the activated surface. The enhancement of the oxidation after the ball milling is attributed to both increases in the specific surface area and atomic scale defects in the graphite structure. In a high temperature gas-cooled reactor, nuclear graphite has been widely used as fuel elements, moderator or reflector blocks, and core support structures owing to its excellent moderating power, mechanical properties and machinability. For the same reason, it will be used in a helium cooled ceramic reflector test blanket module for the ITER. Each submodule has a seven-layer breeding zone, including three neutron multiplier layers packed with beryllium pebbles, three lithium ceramic pebbles packed tritium breeder layers, and a reflector layer packed with 1 mm diameter graphite pebbles to reduce the volume of beryllium. The abrasion of graphite structures owing to relative motion or thermal cycle during operation may produce graphite dust. It is expected that graphite dust will be more oxidative than bulk graphite, and thus the oxidation behavior of graphite dust must be examined to analyze the safety of the reactors during an air ingress accident. In this study, the thermal stability of ball-milled graphite powder was investigated using a simultaneous thermogravimeter-differential scanning calorimeter.

Distribution of 60Co and 54Mn in graphite material of irradiated HTGR fuel assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Kimio; Kikuchi, Teruo; Kobayashi, Fumiaki; Minato, Kazuo; Fukuda, Kousaku; Ikawa, Katsuichi; Iwamoto, Kazumi

1984-05-01

Distribution of 60 Co and 54 Mn was measured in the graphite sleeves and blocks of the third and fourth HTGR fuel assemblies irradiated in the Oarai Gas Loop-1 (OGL-1), which is a high temperature inpile gas loop installed in the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). Axial and circumferential profiles were obtained by gamma spectrometry, and radial profiles by lathe sectioning with gamma spectrometry. Distribution of 60 Co is in good agreement with that of thermal neutron flux, and the Co content in the graphite is estimated to be -- 1 x 10 -9 in weight fraction. Concentration of 54 Mn decreases toward the axial center in its axial profile, and radially is almost uniform inside and appreciably higher at free surfaces. An estimated Fe content of --10 -8 in wight fraction is smaller by two orders of magnitude than that from chemical analysis. Higher concentraion of 60 Co and 54 Mn at the free surfaces suggests the importance of transportation process of these nuclides in the coolant loop. (author)

Direct brazing of ceramics, graphite, and refractory metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canonico, D.A.; Cole, N.C.; Slaughter, G.M.

1976-03-01

ORNL has been instrumental in the development of brazing filler metals for joining ceramics, graphite, and refractory metals for application at temperatures above 1000 0 C. The philosophy and techniques employed in the development of these alloys are presented. A number of compositions are discussed that have been satisfactorily used to braze ceramics, graphite, and refractory metals without a prior surface treatment. One alloy, Ti--25 percent Cr--21 percent V, has wet and flowed on aluminum oxide and graphite. Further, it has been utilized in making brazes between different combinations of the three subject materials. The excellent flowability of this alloy and alloys from the Ti--Zr--Ge system is evidenced by the presence of filler metal in the minute pores of the graphite and ceramics

Preparation, quantitative surface analysis, intercalation characteristics and industrial implications of low temperature expandable graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Tiefeng; Liu, Bin; Gao, Xuechao; Luo, Liqun; Sun, Hongjuan

2018-06-01

Expandable graphite is widely used as a new functional carbon material, especially as fire-retardant; however, its practical application is limited due to the high expansion temperature. In this work, preparation process of low temperature and highly expandable graphite was studied, using natural flake graphite as raw material and KMnO4/HClO4/NH4NO3 as oxidative intercalations. The structure, morphology, functional groups and thermal properties were characterized during expanding process by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectra, thermo-gravimetry differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The analysis showed that by oxidation intercalation, some oxygen-containing groups were grafted on the edge and within the graphite layer. The intercalation reagent entered the graphite layer to increase the interlayer spacing. After expansion, the original flaky expandable graphite was completely transformed into worm-like expanded graphite. The order of graphite intercalation compounds (GICs) was proposed and determined to be 3 for the prepared expandable graphite, based on quantitative XRD peak analysis. Meanwhile, the detailed intercalation mechanisms were also proposed. The comprehensive investigation paved a benchmark for the industrial application of such sulfur-free expanded graphite.

Graphite-ceramic rf Faraday-thermal shield and plasma limiter

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, D.L.Q.; Hosea, J.C.

1983-05-05

The present invention is directed to a brazing procedure for joining a ceramic or glass material (e.g., Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ or Macor) to graphite. In particular, the present invention is directed to a novel brazing procedure for the production of a brazed ceramic graphite product useful as a Faraday shield. The brazed ceramic graphite Faraday shield of the present invention may be used in Magnetic Fusion Devices (e.g., Princeton Large Torus Tokamak) or other high temperature resistant apparatus.

Large-scale preparation of hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feng, Jun; Li, Fu [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Bai, Yu-Jun, E-mail: byj97@126.com [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); State Key laboratory of Crystal Materials, Shandong University, Jinan 250100 (China); Han, Fu-Dong; Qi, Yong-Xin; Lun, Ning [Key Laboratory for Liquid-Solid Structural Evolution and Processing of Materials, Ministry of Education, Shandong University, Jinan 250061 (China); Lu, Xi-Feng [Lunan Institute of Coal Chemical Engineering, Jining 272000 (China)

2013-01-15

Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres (HGCNSs) were synthesized on large scale by a simple reaction between glucose and Mg at 550 Degree-Sign C in an autoclave. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrates the formation of HGCNSs with an average diameter of 10 nm or so and a wall thickness of a few graphenes. The HGCNSs exhibit a reversible capacity of 391 mAh g{sup -1} after 60 cycles when used as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. -- Graphical abstract: Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres could be prepared on large scale by the simple reaction between glucose and Mg at 550 Degree-Sign C, which exhibit superior electrochemical performance to graphite. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hollow graphitic carbon nanospheres (HGCNSs) were prepared on large scale at 550 Degree-Sign C Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The preparation is simple, effective and eco-friendly. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The in situ yielded MgO nanocrystals promote the graphitization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The HGCNSs exhibit superior electrochemical performance to graphite.

Beryllium and graphite performance in ITER during a disruption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.; Ehst, D.A.; Gahl, J.

1994-01-01

Plasma disruptions are considered one of the most limiting factors for successful operation of magnetic fusion reactors. During a disruption, a sharp, rapid release of energy strikes components such as the divertor or limiter plates. Severe surface erosion and melting of these components may then occur. The amount of material eroded from both ablation and melting is important to the reactor design and component lifetime. The anticipated performance of both beryllium and graphite as plasma-facing materials during such abnormal events is analyzed and compared. Recent experimental data obtained with both plasma guns and electron beams are carefully evaluated and compared to results of analytical modeling, including vapor shielding effect. Initial results from plasma gun experiments indicate that the Be erosion rate is about five times larger than that for a graphite material under the same disruption conditions. Key differences between simulation experiments and reactor disruption on the net erosion rate, and consequently on the lifetime of the divertor plate, are discussed in detail. The advantages and disadvantages of Be over graphite as a divertor plasma-facing material are discussed. ((orig.))

Beryllium and graphite performance in ITER during a disruption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.; Ehst, D.A.; Gahl, J.

1993-09-01

Plasma disruptions are considered one of the most limiting factors for successful operation of magnetic fusion reactors. During a disruption, a sharp, rapid release of energy strikes components such as the divertor or limiter plates. Severe surface erosion and melting of these components may then occur. The amount of material eroded from both ablation and melting is important to the reactor design and component lifetime. The anticipated performance of both beryllium and graphite as plasma-facing materials during such abnormal events is analyzed and compared. Recent experimental data obtained with both plasma guns and electron beams are carefully evaluated and compared to results of analytical modeling, including vapor shielding effect. Initial results from plasma gun experiments indicate that the Be erosion rate is about five times larger than that for a graphite material under the same disruption conditions. Key differences between simulation experiments and reactor disruption on the net erosion rate, and consequently on the lifetime of the divertor plate, are discussed in detail. The advantages and disadvantages of Be over graphite as a divertor plasma-facing material are discussed

Adsorption behavior of bisphenol A on CTAB-modified graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li-Cong; Ni, Xin-jiong; Cao, Yu-Hua; Cao, Guang-qun

2018-01-01

In this work, the adsorption behavior of BPA on CTAB-modified graphite was investigated thoroughly to develop a novel absorbent material. Atomic force microscopy revealed that conical admicelles formed on the surface of graphite. The surface area of graphite decreased significantly from 1.46 to 0.95 m2 g-1, which confirmed the formation of the larger size admicelle instead of the original smaller particle on the surface. CTAB concentration and incubation time affected the progress of admicelle formation on the surface of graphite. Adsolubilization is key in BPA adsorption by CTAB-modified graphite. An extraordinary cation-π electron interaction between CTAB and BPA, revealed by a red-shift in the ultraviolet spectrum, as well as a hydrophobic interaction contribute substantially to BPA adsolubilization. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of the modified graphite for BPA was 125.01 mg g-1. The adsorption kinetic curves of BPA on modified graphite were shown to follow a pseudosecond-order rate. The adsorption process was observed to be both spontaneous and exothermic complied with the Freundlich model.

Graphite-based detectors of alkali metals for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalandarishvili, A.G.; Kuchukhidze, V.A.; Sordiya, T.D.; Shartava, Sh.Sh.; Stepennov, B.S.

1993-01-01

The coolants most commonly used in today's fast reactors are alkali metals or their alloys. A major problem in nuclear plant design is leakproofing of the liquid-metal cooling system, and many leak detection methods and safety specifications have been developed as a result. Whatever the safety standards adopted for nuclear plants in different countries, they all rely on the basic fact that control of the contamination and radiation hazards involved requires reliable monitoring equipment. Results are presented of trials with some leak detectors for the alkali-metal circuits of nuclear reactors. The principal component affecting the detector performance is the sensing element. In the detectors graphite was employed, whose laminar structure enables it to absorb efficiently alkali-metal vapors at high temperatures (320--500 K). This produces a continuous series of alkali-metal-graphite solid solutions with distinct electrical, thermal, and other physical properties. The principle of operation of the detectors resides in the characteristic reactions of the metal-graphite system. One detector type uses the change of electrical conductivity of the graphite-film sensor when it is exposed to alkali-metal vapor. In order to minimize the effect of temperature on the resistance the authors prepared composite layers of graphite intercalated with a donor impurity (cesium or barium), and a graphite-nickel material. The addition of a small percentage of cesium, barium, or nickel produces a material whose temperature coefficient of resistance is nearly zero. Used as a sensing element, such a material can eliminate the need for thermostatic control of the detector

Development and Characterization of a Novel Graphite-matrix Composite Material for Thermal Management Applications

CERN Document Server

Guardia Valenzuela, Jorge; Pardo Gracia, José Ángel

The present Master Thesis has been carried out at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. CERN is located in Geneva (Switzerland), but some facilities cross the Swiss-French border. At CERN the deepest structure and physics of matter are studied with the aid of high energy particle beams. The beam energy of the world biggest particle accelerator “Large Hadron Collider” (LHC) at CERN is equivalent to that needed for melting one ton of copper in few µs and it is concentrated in a diameter of less than 2mm. Beam control and protection devices, in particular collimators, are required for using these high energy particle beams, and their materials have to withstand one of the hardest man-made environments. This calls for the development of novel advanced materials, as no existing combination of physical, thermal, electrical and mechanical properties withstands the collimators extreme working conditions. Diamond and graphite based composites are the main material families investigated for this ap...

Development of fracture toughness test method for nuclear grade graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, C. H.; Lee, J. S.; Cho, H. C.; Kim, D. J.; Lee, D. J. [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2006-02-15

Because of its high strength and stability at very high temperature, as well as very low thermal neutron absorption cross-section, graphite has been widely used as a structural material in Gas Cooled Reactors (GCR). Recently, many countries are developing the Very High Temperature gas cooled Reactor (VHTR) because of the potentials of hydrogen production, as well as its safety and viable economics. In VHTR, helium gas serves as the primary coolant. Graphite will be used as a reflector, moderator and core structural materials. The life time of graphite is determined from dimensional changes due to neutron irradiation, which closely relates to the changes of crystal structure. The changes of both lattice parameter and crystallite size can be easily measured by X-ray diffraction method. However, due to high cost and long time of neutron irradiation test, ion irradiation test is being performed instead in KAERI. Therefore, it is essential to develop the technique for measurement of ion irradiation damage of nuclear graphite. Fracture toughness of nuclear grade graphite is one of the key properties in the design and development of VHTR. It is important not only to evaluate the various properties of candidate graphite but also to assess the integrity of nuclear grade graphite during operation. Although fracture toughness tests on graphite have been performed in many laboratories, there have been wide variations in values of the calculated fracture toughness, due to the differences in the geometry of specimens and test conditions. Hence, standard test method for nuclear graphite is required to obtain the reliable fracture toughness values. Crack growth behavior of nuclear grade graphite shows rising R-curve which means the increase in crack growth resistance as the crack length increases. Crack bridging and microcracking have been proposed to be the dominant mechanisms of rising R-curve behavior. In this paper, the technique to measure the changes of crystallite size and

Graphite development for gas-cooled reactors in the USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burchell, T.D.

1991-01-01

This document discusses Modular High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR) graphite activities in the USA which currently include the following research and development tasks: coke examination; effects of irradiation; variability of physical properties (mechanical, thermal-physical, and fracture); fatigue behavior, oxidation behavior; NDE techniques; structural design criteria; and carbon-carbon composite control rod clad materials. These tasks support nuclear grade graphite manufacturing technology including nondestructive examination of billets and components. Moreover, data shall be furnished to support design and licensing of graphite components for the MHTGR

The role of graphite morphology and matrix structure on low ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

Thermal cycling resistance; graphite morphology; grey cast iron; austempered ductile iron; compacted/vermicular graphite iron; matrix decompo- sition. 1. Introduction. When a material is subjected to a temperature gradient, it tends to expand differentially. During this process, thermal stresses are induced. The source of ...

Preparation and characterization of copper-graphite composites by electrical explosion of wire in liquid.

Science.gov (United States)

Bien, T N; Gul, W H; Bac, L H; Kim, J C

2014-11-01

Copper-graphite nanocomposites containing 5 vol.% graphite were prepared by a powder metallurgy route using an electrical wire explosion (EEW) in liquid method and spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Graphite rods with a 0.3 mm diameter and copper wire with a 0.2 mm diameter were used as raw materials for EEWin liquid. To compare, a pure copper and copper-graphite mixture was also prepared. The fabricated graphite was in the form of a nanosheet, onto which copper particles were coated. Sintering was performed at 900 degrees C at a heating rate of 30 degrees C/min for 10 min and under a pressure of 70 MPa. The density of the sintered composite samples was measured by the Archimedes method. A wear test was performed by a ball-on-disc tribometer under dry conditions at room temperature in air. The presence of graphite effectively reduced the wear of composites. The copper-graphite nanocomposites prepared by EEW had lower wear rates than pure copper material and simple mixed copper-graphite.

Role of nuclear grade graphite in controlling oxidation in modular HTGRs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Windes, Willaim [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Strydom, G. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Kane, J. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Smith, R. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-11-01

The passively safe High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) design is one of the primary concepts considered for Generation IV and Small Modular Reactor (SMR) programs. The helium cooled, nuclear grade graphite moderated core achieves extremely high operating temperatures allowing either industrial process heat or electricity generation at high efficiencies. In addition to their neutron moderating properties, nuclear grade graphite core components provide excellent high temperature stability, thermal conductivity, and chemical compatibility with the high temperature nuclear fuel form. Graphite has been continuously used in nuclear reactors since the 1940’s and has performed remarkably well over a wide range of core environments and operating conditions. Graphite moderated, gas-cooled reactor designs have been safely used for research and power production purposes in multiple countries since the inception of nuclear energy development. However, graphite is a carbonaceous material, and this has generated a persistent concern that the graphite components could actually burn during either normal or accident conditions [ , ]. The common assumption is that graphite, since it is ostensibly similar to charcoal and coal, will burn in a similar manner. While charcoal and coal may have the appearance of graphite, the internal microstructure and impurities within these carbonaceous materials are very different. Volatile species and trapped moisture provide a source of oxygen within coal and charcoal allowing them to burn. The fabrication process used to produce nuclear grade graphite eliminates these oxidation enhancing impurities, creating a dense, highly ordered form of carbon possessing high thermal diffusivity and strongly (covalently) bonded atoms.

Superlubricity of Graphite Induced by Multiple Transferred Graphene Nanoflakes.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jinjin; Gao, Tianyang; Luo, Jianbin

2018-03-01

2D or 3D layered materials, such as graphene, graphite, and molybdenum disulfide, usually exhibit superlubricity properties when sliding occurs between the incommensurate interface lattices. This study reports the superlubricity between graphite and silica under ambient conditions, induced by the formation of multiple transferred graphene nanoflakes on the asperities of silica surfaces after the initial frictional sliding. The friction coefficient can be reduced to as low as 0.0003 with excellent robustness and is independent of the surface roughness, sliding velocities, and rotation angles. The superlubricity mechanism can be attributed to the extremely weak interaction and easy sliding between the transferred graphene nanoflakes and graphite in their incommensurate contact. This finding has important implications for developing approaches to achieve superlubricity of layered materials at the nanoscale by tribointeractions.

Procedures for the characterization of the detritiation of steel, Inconel and graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poletiko, C.; Trabuc, P.; Durand, J.; Tormos, B.; Pignoly, L.

2006-01-01

Due to its high diffusivity and different trapping phenomena, tritium is present in materials, such as steel or Inconel that are in use in different parts of a nuclear power reactor, or even in graphite which is present in fusion reactor or in future HTR. From waste management point of view, it is necessary to know as accurately as possible the tritium inventory in such materials before disposal. Moreover the knowledge of tritium species (HTO or HT, etc) is also a significant information in case of detritiation prior to storage, since countries regulation already limit tritium contents and releases. Three different strategies for tritiated waste management are foreseen: the first one is based upon a storage with confined packages, the second one is waiting for radioactive decay while the third one consists in the application of detritiation processes. Studies have been performed to determine different processes that could be used for tritium removal. The aim of this paper was, to study, at laboratory scale, different detritiation procedures which may be used for stainless steel, Inconel and carbon materials. Thermal detritiation kinetics till 1300 K has been studied under various atmospheres; full chemical dissolution of samples has also been performed for steel, Inconel and graphite, this to perfectly know the tritium content in such matrices. A particular attention must be applied to Inconel, the main reason is linked to the presence of titanium which is supposed to be a tritium trap. Finally, a study of tritium content in steel and Inconel layers has also been made, to learn about the tritium behaviour. All results are given, allowing the possibility to take a decision either for detritiation procedure or storage conditions. The main result is that thermal out-gassing for steel and graphite enables higher than 95 % tritium extraction from the bulk at temperature in the range of 600 K, without any material destruction under hi-tech gas (Ar + 5% volume H 2 ), on

Environmentally-friendly oxygen-free roasting/wet magnetic separation technology for in situ recycling cobalt, lithium carbonate and graphite from spent LiCoO{sub 2}/graphite lithium batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Jia; Wang, Guangxu; Xu, Zhenming, E-mail: zmxu@sjtu.edu.cn

2016-01-25

Highlights: • The idea of “waste + waste → resources.” was used on this study. • Based on thermodynamic analysis, the possible reaction between LiCoO{sub 2} and graphite was obtained. • The residues of oxygen-free roasting are cobalt, lithium carbonate and graphite. • The recovery rate of Co and Li is 95.72% and 98.93% after wet magnetic separation. • It provides the rationale for environmental-friendly recycling spent LIBs in industrial-scale. - Abstract: The definite aim of the present paper is to present some novel methods that use oxygen-free roasting and wet magnetic separation to in situ recycle of cobalt, Lithium Carbonate and Graphite from mixed electrode materials. The in situ recycling means to change waste into resources by its own components, which is an idea of “waste + waste → resources.” After mechanical scraping the mixed electrode materials enrich powders of LiCoO{sub 2} and graphite. The possible reaction between LiCoO{sub 2} and graphite was obtained by thermodynamic analysis. The feasibility of the reaction at high temperature was studied with the simultaneous thermogravimetry analysis under standard atmospheric pressure. Then the oxygen-free roasting/wet magnetic separation method was used to transfer the low added value mixed electrode materials to high added value products. The results indicated that, through the serious technologies of oxygen-free roasting and wet magnetic separation, mixture materials consist with LiCoO{sub 2} and graphite powders are transferred to the individual products of cobalt, Lithium Carbonate and Graphite. Because there is not any chemical solution added in the process, the cost of treating secondary pollution can be saved. This study provides a theoretical basis for industrial-scale recycling resources from spent LIBs.

Performance Study of Graphite Anode Slurry in Lithium-ion Flow Battery by Ball Milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FENG Cai-mei

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Graphite anode slurry of lithium-ion flow battery was prepared by the method of ball milling. The morphology, conductivity, specific capacity and cycle performance of graphite anode slurry were studied. Results show that the addition of conductive carbon material can improve the suspension stability of the electrode slurry; the ball milling process can not only improve the suspension stability but also reduce the resistivity of the mixed powders of graphite and conductive carbon materials, the ball milling effect is satisfactory when the mass ratio of the balls and the solid particles is 5:1, but too high ratio of the milling ball and the solid materials can destroy the layer structure of the graphite and affect the stability of the slurry. Increasing the fraction of the graphite and conductive carbon materials can form stable electrical network structure in the slurry and improve the reversible capacity; at the premise of keeping the flowability of the electrode slurry, the reversible specific capacity can be more than 40mAh/g. The capacity loss of graphite anode slurry mainly occurs in the first charging-discharging process, as the increase of the cycles, the capacity loss rate decreases, the capacity goes stable after 5 cycles.

Variation of the properties of siliconized graphite during neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Virgil'ev, Y.S.; Chugunova, T.K.; Pikulik, R.G.

1986-01-01

The authors evaluate the radiation-induced property changes in siliconized graphite of the industrial grades SG-P and SG-M. The authors simultaneously tested the reference (control) specimens of graphite that are used as the base for obtaining the SG-M siliconized graphite by impregnating with silicon. The suggested scheme (model) atributes the dimensional changes of the siliconized graphite specimens to the effect of the quantitative ratio of the carbide phase and carbon under different conditions of irradiation. If silicon is insufficient for the formation of a dense skeleton, graphite plays a devisive role, and it may be assumed that at an irradiation temperature greater than 600 K, the material shrinks. The presence of isolated carbide inclusions also affects the physicomechanical properties (including the anitfriction properties)

FIRE-RESISTANCE PROPERTIES RESEARCH OF “WATER GLASS - GRAPHITE MICROPARTICLES” COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. A. Pitukhin

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Subject of Research. Research results of the fire-resistance for “water glass - graphite microparticles” composite material (CM are given. The method for fire-resistance test of the micro composition is suggested in order to determine the limit state of the experimental samples under hightemperature action. Method. Test-benchequipment being used for research includes metering devices of temperature and time, as well as laboratory electric furnace PL20 with a maximum temperature in the chamber up to 1250ºC. Fire-resistance limit for the test samples of composite material is determined by the loss of insulating ability (I. For that purpose, the time is obtained from the test beginning with the standard temperature mode up to a limiting condition. Main Results. In accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents fire-resistance limit I15 has been obtained equal to 15 minutes. The qualitative and quantitative phase analysis of the CM structure has been done. By the study of samples by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy we have determined that the material retains the same chemical structure with a monotonic heating above 700° C. Practical Relevance. The composite material with obtained characteristics can be used as a protective coating for building constructions with the aim of fire-resistance enhancement and fuel hazard reduction.

Improvement of thermal shock resistance of isotropic graphite by Ti-doping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-Galilea, I.; Ordas, N.; Garcia-Rosales, C.; Lindig, S.

2009-01-01

Ti-doped isotropic graphite is a promising candidate material for the strike point area of the ITER divertor due to its reduced chemical erosion by hydrogen bombardment and its high thermal shock resistance, mainly due the catalytic effect of TiC on the graphitization leading to an increase of thermal conductivity and to higher mechanical strength. Several manufacturing parameters such as oxidative stabilization treatment, carbonization cycle, graphitization temperature and dwell time during graphitization have been investigated in order to establish a relationship between these parameters and the final properties.

Improvement of thermal shock resistance of isotropic graphite by Ti-doping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Galilea, I. [Inmaculada Lopez-Galilea, CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Po de Manuel Lardizabal, 15 E-20018 San Sebastian (Spain)], E-mail: ilopez@ceit.es; Ordas, N.; Garcia-Rosales, C. [Inmaculada Lopez-Galilea, CEIT and Tecnun (University of Navarra), Po de Manuel Lardizabal, 15 E-20018 San Sebastian (Spain); Lindig, S. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik, EURATOM Association, D-85748 Garching (Germany)

2009-04-30

Ti-doped isotropic graphite is a promising candidate material for the strike point area of the ITER divertor due to its reduced chemical erosion by hydrogen bombardment and its high thermal shock resistance, mainly due the catalytic effect of TiC on the graphitization leading to an increase of thermal conductivity and to higher mechanical strength. Several manufacturing parameters such as oxidative stabilization treatment, carbonization cycle, graphitization temperature and dwell time during graphitization have been investigated in order to establish a relationship between these parameters and the final properties.

An Electron Microscopy Study of Graphite Growth in Nodular Cast Irons

Science.gov (United States)

Laffont, L.; Jday, R.; Lacaze, J.

2018-04-01

Growth of graphite during solidification and high-temperature solid-state transformation has been investigated in samples cut out from a thin-wall casting which solidified partly in the stable (iron-graphite) and partly in the metastable (iron-cementite) systems. Transmission electron microscopy has been used to characterize graphite nodules in as-cast state and in samples having been fully graphitized at various temperatures in the austenite field. Nodules in the as-cast material show a twofold structure characterized by an inner zone where graphite is disoriented and an outer zone where it is well crystallized. In heat-treated samples, graphite nodules consist of well-crystallized sectors radiating from the nucleus. These observations suggest that the disoriented zone appears because of mechanical deformation when the liquid contracts during its solidification in the metastable system. During heat-treatment, the graphite in this zone recrystallizes. In turn, it can be concluded that nodular graphite growth mechanism is the same during solidification and solid-state transformation.

Exfoliated graphite/titanium dioxide nanocomposites for photodegradation of eosin yellow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ndlovu, Thabile; Kuvarega, Alex T.; Arotiba, Omotayo A.; Sampath, Srinivasan; Krause, Rui W.; Mamba, Bhekie B.

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Preparation of exfoliated graphite (EG) from natural graphite. • Sol–gel anchoring of TiO 2 on exfoliated graphite. • High adsorption and photoactivity was observed for the EG-TiO 2 nanocomposite. • Mechanism of enhancement was proposed. - Abstract: An improved photocatalyst consisting of a nanocomposite of exfoliated graphite and titanium dioxide (EG-TiO 2 ) was prepared. SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the spherical TiO 2 nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of the EG sheets. A four times photocatalytic enhancement was observed for this floating nanocomposite compared to TiO 2 and EG alone for the degradation of eosin yellow. For all the materials, the reactions followed first order kinetics where for EG-TiO 2 , the rate constant was much higher than for EG and TiO 2 under visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of EG-TiO 2 was ascribed to the capability of graphitic layers to accept and transport electrons from the excited TiO 2 , promoting charge separation. This indicates that carbon, a cheap and abundant material, can be a good candidate as an electron attracting reservoir for photocatalytic organic pollutant degradation

Corrosion-induced microstructural changes in a US core graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eatherly, W.P.; Lee, D.A.

1981-01-01

The results reported here apply to Great Lakes grade H-451 graphite, the core graphite specified for the US HTGR. This graphite is structurally similar to the German reflector grades we have investigated at ORNL, and hence should be applicable to them if similar impurity levels are obtained. Moreover, these results extend and confirm the behavior pattern exhibited by the fuel matrix material A3-3 reported in the previous paper, although the effects are more pronounced in A3-3 presumably due to its resin-type binder and low heat-treatment temperatures

Oxidation of PCEA nuclear graphite by low water concentrations in helium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Contescu, Cristian I., E-mail: ContescuCI@ornl.gov [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6087 (United States); Mee, Robert W. [Department of Business Analytics and Statistics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0525 (United States); Wang, Peng [Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6087 (United States); Romanova, Anna V.; Burchell, Timothy D. [Department of Business Analytics and Statistics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-0525 (United States)

2014-10-15

Accelerated oxidation tests were performed to determine kinetic parameters of the chronic oxidation reaction (i.e. slow, continuous, and persistent) of PCEA graphite in contact with helium coolant containing low moisture concentrations in high temperature gas-cooled reactors. To the authors’ knowledge such a study has not been done since the detailed analysis of reaction of H-451 graphite with steam (Velasquez, Hightower, Burnette, 1978). Since that H-451 graphite is now unavailable, it is urgently needed to characterize chronic oxidation behavior of new graphite grades that are being considered for use in gas-cooled reactors. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism of carbon oxidation by water results in a non-linear reaction rate expression, with at least six different parameters. They were determined in accelerated oxidation experiments that covered a large range of temperatures (800–1100 °C), and partial pressures of water (15–850 Pa) and hydrogen (30–150 Pa) and used graphite specimens thin enough (4 mm) in order to avoid diffusion effects. Data analysis employed a statistical method based on multiple likelihood estimation of parameters and simultaneous fitting of non-linear equations. The results show significant material-specific differences between graphite grades PCEA and H-451 which were attributed to microstructural dissimilarity between the two materials. It is concluded that kinetic data cannot be transferred from one graphite grade to another.

Experience of on-site disposal of production uranium-graphite nuclear reactor.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavliuk, Alexander O; Kotlyarevskiy, Sergey G; Bespala, Evgeny V; Zakharova, Elena V; Ermolaev, Vyacheslav M; Volkova, Anna G

2018-04-01

The paper reported the experience gained in the course of decommissioning EI-2 Production Uranium-Graphite Nuclear Reactor. EI-2 was a production Uranium-Graphite Nuclear Reactor located on the Production and Demonstration Center for Uranium-Graphite Reactors JSC (PDC UGR JSC) site of Seversk City, Tomsk Region, Russia. EI-2 commenced its operation in 1958, and was shut down on December 28, 1990, having operated for the period of 33 years all together. The extra pure grade graphite for the moderator, water for the coolant, and uranium metal for the fuel were used in the reactor. During the operation nitrogen gas was passed through the graphite stack of the reactor. In the process of decommissioning the PDC UGR JSC site the cavities in the reactor space were filled with clay-based materials. A specific composite barrier material based on clays and minerals of Siberian Region was developed for the purpose. Numerical modeling demonstrated the developed clay composite would make efficient geological barriers preventing release of radionuclides into the environment. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theoretical study of the porosity effects on the shock response of graphitic materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pineau Nicolas

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper we present a theoretical study of the shock compression of porous graphite by means of combined Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations using the LCBOPII potential. The results show that the Hugoniostat methods can be used with “pole” properties calculated from porous models to reproduce the experimental Hugoniot of pure graphite and diamond with good accuracy. The computed shock temperatures show a sharp increase for weak shocks which we analyze as the heating associated with the closure of the initial porosity. After this initial phase, the temperature increases with shock intensity at a rate comparable to monocrystalline graphite and diamond. These simulations data can be exploited in view to build a full equation of state for use in hydrodynamic simulations.

Voronoi-Tessellated Graphite Produced by Low-Temperature Catalytic Graphitization from Renewable Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Leyi; Zhao, Xiuyun; Burke, Luke T; Bennett, J Craig; Dunlap, Richard A; Obrovac, Mark N

2017-09-11

A highly crystalline graphite powder was prepared from the low temperature (800-1000 °C) graphitization of renewable hard carbon precursors using a magnesium catalyst. The resulting graphite particles are composed of Voronoi-tessellated regions comprising irregular sheets; each Voronoi-tessellated region having a small "seed" particle located near their centroid on the surface. This suggests nucleated outward growth of graphitic carbon, which has not been previously observed. Each seed particle consists of a spheroidal graphite shell on the inside of which hexagonal graphite platelets are perpendicularly affixed. This results in a unique high surface area graphite with a high degree of graphitization that is made with renewable feedstocks at temperatures far below that conventionally used for artificial graphites. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation and Characterization of Li-Ion Graphite Anodes Using Synchrotron Tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Mitsch

2014-06-01

Full Text Available We present an approach for multi-layer preparation to perform microstructure analysis of a Li-ion cell anode active material using synchrotron tomography. All necessary steps, from the disassembly of differently-housed cells (pouch and cylindrical, via selection of interesting layer regions, to the separation of the graphite-compound and current collector, are described in detail. The proposed stacking method improves the efficiency of synchrotron tomography by measuring up to ten layers in parallel, without the loss of image resolution nor quality, resulting in a maximization of acquired data. Additionally, we perform an analysis of the obtained 3D volumes by calculating microstructural characteristics, like porosity, tortuosity and specific surface area. Due to a large amount of measurable layers within one stacked sample, differences between aged and pristine material (e.g., significant differences in tortuosity and specific surface area, while porosity remains constant, as well as the homogeneity of the material within one cell could be recognized.

A microstructural study of dynamic crack propagation in nuclear graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burchell, T.D.; McEnaney, B.; Tucker, M.O.; Rose, A.P.G.

1986-01-01

This paper reports a new microstructural study of dynamic crack propagation in three nuclear graphites: (i) PGA, the moderator material in UK Magnox reactors; (ii) IMl-24, the moderator material in UK Advanced gas cooled reactors (AGR); and (iii) a pitch coke graphite, which is used in the fabrication of AGR fuel sleeves. The fracture mechanisms in nuclear graphites are initiated by microcrack formation at low stresses. Typically, microcracks form in regions of well-aligned binder or at favourably-oriented pores, where stress is concentrated. With increasing applied loads, microcracks propagate taking advantage of easy cleavage paths or linking with pores. Eventually, coalescence of such cracks and inherent porosity produces a crack of critical length for fast fracture. (orig./MM)

Radionuclide characterization of graphite stacks from plutonium production reactors of the Siberian group of chemical enterprises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bushuev, A.V.; Verzilov, Yu.M.; Zubarev, V.N.

2001-01-01

The residual radionuclide concentrations and distributions in graphite from moderator stack of plutonium production reactors at Tomsk-7 have been investigated. It was found that the dominant activity of graphite is 14 C. To gain information on surface and volume contamination of graphite blocks from the moderator stack, the special sets of samples were collected and assayed. The schemes are proposed for evaluation of individual radionuclide inventories together with results of the evaluations performed. (author)

Single-crystal apatite nanowires sheathed in graphitic shells: synthesis, characterization, and application.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Namjo; Cha, Misun; Park, Yun Chang; Lee, Kyung Mee; Lee, Jae Hyup; Park, Byong Chon; Lee, Junghoon

2013-07-23

Vertically aligned one-dimensional hybrid structures, which are composed of apatite and graphitic structures, can be beneficial for orthopedic applications. However, they are difficult to generate using the current method. Here, we report the first synthesis of a single-crystal apatite nanowire encapsulated in graphitic shells by a one-step chemical vapor deposition. Incipient nucleation of apatite and its subsequent transformation to an oriented crystal are directed by derived gaseous phosphorine. Longitudinal growth of the oriented apatite crystal is achieved by a vapor-solid growth mechanism, whereas lateral growth is suppressed by the graphitic layers formed through arrangement of the derived aromatic hydrocarbon molecules. We show that this unusual combination of the apatite crystal and the graphitic shells can lead to an excellent osteogenic differentiation and bony fusion through a programmed smart behavior. For instance, the graphitic shells are degraded after the initial cell growth promoted by the graphitic nanostructures, and the cells continue proliferation on the bare apatite nanowires. Furthermore, a bending experiment indicates that such core-shell nanowires exhibited a superior bending stiffness compared to single-crystal apatite nanowires without graphitic shells. The results suggest a new strategy and direction for bone grafting materials with a highly controllable morphology and material conditions that can best stimulate bone cell differentiation and growth.

Transport of fission products in matrix and graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoinkis, E.

1983-06-01

In the past years new experimental methods were applied to or developed for the investigation of fission product transport in graphitic materials and to characterization of the materials. Models for fission product transport and computer codes for the calculation of core release rates were improved. Many data became available from analysis of concentration profiles in HTR-fuel elements. New work on the effect on diffusion of graphite corrosion, fast neutron flux and fluence, heat treatment, chemical interactions and helium pressure was reported on recently or was in progress in several laboratories. It seemed to be the right time to discuss the status of transport of metallic fission products in general, and in particular the relationship between structural and transport properties. Following a suggestion a Colloquium was organized at the HMI Berlin. Interdisciplinary discussions were stimulated by only inviting a limited number of participants who work in different fields of graphite and fission product transport research. (orig./RW)

Fort St. Vrain graphite site mechanical separation concept selection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, S.M.

1993-09-01

One of the alternatives to the disposal of the Fort St. Vrain (FSV) reactor spent nuclear fuel involves the separation of the fuel rods composed of compacts from the graphite fuel block assembly. After the separation of these two components, the empty graphite fuel blocks would be disposed of as a low level waste (provided the appropriate requirements are met) and the fuel compacts would be treated as high level waste material. This report deals with the mechanical separation aspects concerning physical disassembly of the FSV graphite fuel element into the empty graphite fuel blocks and fuel compacts. This report recommends that a drilling technique is the preferred choice for accessing the, fuel channel holes and that each hole is drilled separately. This report does not cover any techniques or methods to separate the triso fuel particles from the graphite matrix of the fuel compacts

Graphite behaviour in relation to the fuel element design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Everett, M. R. [OECD High Temperature Reactor Project Dragon, Winfrith (United Kingdom); Manzel, R. [OECD High Temperature Reactor Project Dragon, Winfrith (United Kingdom); Blackstone, R. [Reactor Centrum, Petten (Netherlands); Delle, W. [Kernforschungsanlage, Juelich (Germany); Lungagnani, V. [Joint Nuclear Research Centre, Euratom, Petten (Netherlands); Krefeld, R. [Joint Nuclear Research Centre, Euratom, Petten (Netherlands)

1969-09-01

The first designs of H.T.R. power reactors will probably use a Gilsocarbon based graphite for both the moderator/carrier blocks and for the fuel tubes. The initial physical properties and changes of dimensions, thermal expansion coefficient, Young*s modulus, and thermal conductivity on irradiation of Gilsocarbon graphites to typical reactor dwell-time fast neutron doses of 4 * 10²¹ cm ^-2 Ni dose Dido equivalent are given and values for the irradiation creep constant are presented. The influence of these property changes and those of chemical corrosion are considered briefly in relation to the present fuel element designs. The selection of an eventual less costly replacement graphite for Gilsocarbon graphite is discussed in terms of materials properties.

Large Scale Reduction of Graphite Oxide Project

Science.gov (United States)

Calle, Carlos; Mackey, Paul; Falker, John; Zeitlin, Nancy

2015-01-01

This project seeks to develop an optical method to reduce graphite oxide into graphene efficiently and in larger formats than currently available. Current reduction methods are expensive, time-consuming or restricted to small, limited formats. Graphene has potential uses in ultracapacitors, energy storage, solar cells, flexible and light-weight circuits, touch screens, and chemical sensors. In addition, graphite oxide is a sustainable material that can be produced from any form of carbon, making this method environmentally friendly and adaptable for in-situ reduction.

Process for purifying graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clausius, R.A.

1985-01-01

A process for purifying graphite comprising: comminuting graphite containing mineral matter to liberate at least a portion of the graphite particles from the mineral matter; mixing the comminuted graphite particles containing mineral matter with water and hydrocarbon oil to form a fluid slurry; separating a water phase containing mineral matter and a hydrocarbon oil phase containing grahite particles; and separating the graphite particles from the hydrocarbon oil to obtain graphite particles reduced in mineral matter. Depending upon the purity of the graphite desired, steps of the process can be repeated one or more times to provide a progressively purer graphite

Effect of iron and chromium on the graphitization behaviour of sulfur-containing carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyumentsev, V.A.; Belenkov, E.A.; Saunina, S.I.; Podkopaev, S.A.; Shvejkin, G.P.

1998-01-01

Process of transition of carbonaceous material, containing structurally incorporated sulfur, into graphite and impact of iron and chromium additions are studied. It is established that carbonaceous material, containing more than 1.5 mass % S and also 1.5 mass % Cr 2 O 3 is heterogeneous after thermal treatment at 1300-1600 deg C. It consists of large and sufficiency complete areas of coherent scattering having graphite structure and ultra-dispersed matrix. The number of graphite crystals formed in the presence of dispersed iron within this temperature range, decreases by two times [ru

Leveraging comprehensive baseline datasets to quantify property variability in nuclear-grade graphites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carroll, Mark C., E-mail: mark.carroll@inl.gov [Idaho National Laboratory, PO Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2213 (United States); Windes, William E.; Rohrbaugh, David T. [Idaho National Laboratory, PO Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2213 (United States); Strizak, Joseph P.; Burchell, Timothy D. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, PO Box 2008, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6088 (United States)

2016-10-15

Highlights: • An effort is underway to fully quantify the properties of nuclear-grade graphites. • Physical and mechanical properties of graphite are best characterized by distributions. • The Weibull distribution is most representative of graphite based on goodness-of-fit. • Fine-grained isomolded grades exhibit higher Weibull modulus values, indicative of more homogeneous properties. - Abstract: The full characterization of the physical and mechanical properties of candidate nuclear-grade graphites is highly dependent upon an understanding of the distribution of values that are inherent to graphite. Not only do the material properties of graphites vary considerably between grades owing to the raw materials sources, filler particle type and size, methods of compaction, and production process parameters, but variability is observed between billets of the same grade from a single batch and even across spatial positions within a single billet. Properly enveloping the expected properties of interest requires both a substantial amount of data to statistically capture this variability and a representative distribution capable of accurately describing the range of values. A two-parameter Weibull distribution is confirmed to be representative of the distribution of physical (density, modulus) and mechanical (compressive, flexure, and tensile strength) values in five different nuclear-grades of graphite. The fine-grained isomolded grades tend toward higher Weibull modulus and characteristic strength values, while the extruded grade being examined exhibits relatively large distributions in property values. With the number of candidate graphite specimens that can undergo full irradiation exposure and subsequent testing having limited feasibility with regard to economics and timely evaluations, a proper capture of the raw material variability in an unirradiated state can provide crucial supplementary resolution to the limited amount of available data on irradiated

Development of synthetic graphite resistive elements for sintering furnace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otani, C.; Rezende, Mirabel C.; Polidoro, H.A.; Otani, S.

1987-01-01

The synthetic graphites have been produced using lignin coke, natural graphite and phenolic resin. The bulk density, porosity, flexural strength and eletrical resistivity measurements have been performed on specimens at about 2400 0 C. The performance of these materials, as heating elements, was evaluated in a sintering furnace prototype. This paper reports the fabrication process and the experimental results. (Author) [pt

Effect of Graphite Concentration on Shear-Wave Speed in Gelatin-Based Tissue-Mimicking Phantoms

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Pamela G.; Rouze, Ned C.; Palmeri, Mark L.

2011-01-01

Elasticity-based imaging modalities are becoming popular diagnostic tools in clinical practice. Gelatin-based, tissue mimicking phantoms that contain graphite as the acoustic scattering material are commonly used in testing and validating elasticity-imaging methods to quantify tissue stiffness. The gelatin bloom strength and concentration are used to control phantom stiffness. While it is known that graphite concentration can be modulated to control acoustic attenuation, the impact of graphite concentrationon phantom elasticity has not been characterized in these gelatin phantoms. This work investigates the impact of graphite concentration on phantom shear stiffness as characterized by shear-wave speed measurements using impulsive acoustic-radiation-force excitations. Phantom shear-wave speed increased by 0.83 (m/s)/(dB/(cm MHz)) when increasing the attenuation coefficient slope of the phantom material through increasing graphite concentration. Therefore, gelatin-phantom stiffness can be affected by the conventional ways that attenuation is modulated through graphite concentration in these phantoms. PMID:21710828

Effect of graphite reflector on activation of fusion breeding blanket

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Cheol Woo; Lee, Young-Ouk; Lee, Dong Won; Cho, Seungyon; Ahn, Mu-Young

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The graphite reflector concept has been applied in the design of the Korea HCCR TBM for ITER and this concept is also a candidate design option for Korea Demo. • In the graphite reflector, C-14, B-11 and Be-10 are produced after an irradiation. Impurities in both case of beryllium and graphite is dominant in the shutdown dose after an irradiation. • Based on the evaluation, the graphite reflector is a good alternative of the beryllium multiplier in the view of induced activity and shutdown dose. But C-14 produced in the graphite reflector should be considered carefully in the view of radwaste management. - Abstract: Korea has proposed a Helium-Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) breeding blanket concept relevant to fusion power plants. Here, graphite is used as a reflector material by reducing the amount of beryllium multiplier. In this paper, activity analysis was performed and the effect of graphite reflector in the view of activation was compared to the beryllium multiplier. As a result, it is expected that using the graphite reflector instead of the beryllium multiplier decreases total activity very effectively. But the graphite reflector produces C-14 about 17.2 times than the beryllium multiplier. Therefore, C-14 produced in the graphite reflector is expected as a significant nuclide in the view of radwaste management.

Evaluation of Accelerated Graphitic Corrosion Test of Gray Cast Iron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jeong Hyeon; Hong, Jong Dae; Chang Heui; Na, Kyung Hwan; Lee, Jae Gon

2011-01-01

In operating nuclear power plants, gray cast iron is commonly used as materials for various non-safety system components including pipes in fire water system, valve bodies, bonnets, and pump castings. In such locations, operating condition does not require alloy steels with excellent mechanical properties. But, a few corrosion related degradation, or graphitic corrosion is frequently occurred to gray cast iron during the long-term operation in nuclear power plant. Graphitic corrosion is selective leaching of iron from gray cast iron, where iron gets removed and graphite grains remain intact. In U.S.A., one-time visual inspection and hardness measurement are required from regulatory body to detect the graphitic corrosion for the life extension evaluation of the operating nuclear power plant. In this study, experiments were conducted to make accelerated graphitic corrosion of gray cast iron using electrochemical method, and hardness was measured for the specimens to establish the correlation between degree of graphitic corrosion and surface hardness of gray cast iron

Ferric chloride-graphite intercalation compounds as anode materials for Li-ion batteries.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lili; Zhu, Yongchun; Guo, Cong; Zhu, Xiaobo; Liang, Jianwen; Qian, Yitai

2014-01-01

Ferric chloride-graphite intercalation compounds (FeCl3 -GICs) with stage 1 and stage 2 structures were synthesized by reacting FeCl3 and expanded graphite (EG) in air in a stainless-steel autoclave. As rechargeable Li-ion batteries, these FeCl3 -GICs exhibit high capacity, excellent cycling stability, and superior rate capability, which could be attributed to their unique intercalation features. This work may enable new possibilities for the fabrication of Li-ion batteries. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) graphite pebble fuel: Review of technologies for reprocessing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mcwilliams, A. J. [Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States). Savannah River National Lab. (SRNL)

2015-09-08

This report reviews literature on reprocessing high temperature gas-cooled reactor graphite fuel components. A basic review of the various fuel components used in the pebble bed type reactors is provided along with a survey of synthesis methods for the fabrication of the fuel components. Several disposal options are considered for the graphite pebble fuel elements including the storage of intact pebbles, volume reduction by separating the graphite from fuel kernels, and complete processing of the pebbles for waste storage. Existing methods for graphite removal are presented and generally consist of mechanical separation techniques such as crushing and grinding chemical techniques through the use of acid digestion and oxidation. Potential methods for reprocessing the graphite pebbles include improvements to existing methods and novel technologies that have not previously been investigated for nuclear graphite waste applications. The best overall method will be dependent on the desired final waste form and needs to factor in the technical efficiency, political concerns, cost, and implementation.

Nucleation of ripplocations through atomistic modeling of surface nanoindentation in graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Freiberg, D.; Barsoum, M. W.; Tucker, G. J.

2018-05-01

In this work, we study the nucleation and subsequent evolution behavior of ripplocations - a newly proposed strain accommodating defect in layered materials where one, or more, layers buckle orthogonally to the layers - using atomistic modeling of graphite. To that effect, we model the response to cylindrical indenters with radii R of 50, 100, and 250 nm, loaded edge-on into graphite layers and the strain gradient effects beneath the indenter are quantified. We show that the response is initially elastic followed by ripplocation nucleation, and growth of multiple fully reversible ripplocation boundaries below the indenter. In the elastic region, the stress is found to be a function of indentation volume; beyond the elastic regime, the interlayer strain gradient emerges as paramount in the onset of ripplocation nucleation and subsequent in-plane stress relaxation. Furthermore, ripplocation boundaries that nucleate from the alignment of ripplocations on adjacent layers are exceedingly nonlocal and propagate, wavelike, away from the indented surface. This work not only provides a critical understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of the deformation of layered solids and formation of kink boundaries, but also provides a more complete description of the nucleation mechanics of ripplocations and their strain field dependence.

Scaled-Up Production and Transport Applications of Graphitic Carbon Nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Saviers, Kimberly R.

Graphitic carbon nanomaterials enhance the performance of engineered systems for energy harvesting and storage. However, commercial availability remains largely cost-prohibitive due to technical barriers to mass production. This thesis examines both the scaled-up production and energy transport applications of graphitic materials. Cost driven-production of graphitic petals is developed, carbon nanotube array thermal interface materials enhance waste heat energy harvesting, and microsupercapacitors are visually examined using a new electroreflectance measurement method. Graphitic materials have previously been synthesized using batch-style processing methods with small sample sizes, limiting their commercial viability. In order to increase production throughput, a roll-to-roll radio-frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition method is employed to continuously deposit graphitic petals on carbon fiber tow. In consideration of a full production framework, efficient and informative characterization methods in the form of electrical resistance and electrochemical capacitance are highlighted. To co-optimize the functional characteristics of the material, the processing conditions are comprehensively varied using a data-driven predictive design of experiments method. Repeatable and reliable production of graphitic materials will enable a host of creative graphene-based devices to emerge into the marketplace. Two such applications are discussed in the remaining chapters. Waste heat is most efficiently harvested at high temperatures, such as vehicle exhaust systems near 600°C. However, the resistance to heat flux at the interfaces between the harvesting device and its surroundings is detrimental to the system-level performance. To study the performance of thermal interface materials up to 700°C, a reference bar measurement method was designed. Design considerations are discussed and compared to past implementations, particularly regarding radiation heat flux and thermal

Superhydrophilic graphite surfaces and water-dispersible graphite colloids by electrochemical exfoliation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Yueh-Feng [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Central University, Jhongli, 320 Taiwan (China); Chen, Shih-Ming; Lai, Wei-Hao [Materials and Chemical Research Laboratories, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Chutung, Hsinchu, 31040 Taiwan (China); Sheng, Yu-Jane [Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 106 Taiwan (China); Tsao, Heng-Kwong [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Department of Physics, National Central University, Jhongli, 320 Taiwan (China)

2013-08-14

Superhydrophilic graphite surfaces and water-dispersible graphite colloids are obtained by electrochemical exfoliation with hydrophobic graphite electrodes. Such counterintuitive characteristics are caused by partial oxidation and investigated by examining both graphite electrodes and exfoliated particles after electrolysis. The extent of surface oxidation can be explored through contact angle measurement, scanning electron microscope, electrical sheet resistance, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, zeta-potential analyzer, thermogravimetric analysis, UV-visible, and Raman spectroscopy. The degree of wettability of the graphite anode can be altered by the electrolytic current and time. The water contact angle declines generally with increasing the electrolytic current or time. After a sufficient time, the graphite anode becomes superhydrophilic and its hydrophobicity can be recovered by peeling with adhesive tape. This consequence reveals that the anodic graphite is oxidized by oxygen bubbles but the oxidation just occurs at the outer layers of the graphite sheet. Moreover, the characteristics of oxidation revealed by UV peak shift, peak ratio between D and G bands, and negative zeta-potential indicate the presence of graphite oxide on the outer shell of the exfoliated colloids. However, thermogravimetric analysis for the extent of decomposition of oxygen functional groups verifies that the amount of oxygen groups is significantly less than that of graphite oxide prepared via Hummer method. The structure of this partially oxidized graphite may consist of a graphite core covered with an oxidized shell. The properties of the exfoliated colloids are also influenced by pH of the electrolytic solution. As pH is increased, the extent of oxidation descends and the thickness of oxidized shell decreases. Those results reveal that the degree of oxidation of exfoliated nanoparticles can be manipulated simply by controlling pH.

Nano-cracks in a synthetic graphite composite for nuclear applications

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dong; Cherns, David

2018-05-01

Mrozowski nano-cracks in nuclear graphite were studied by transmission electron microscopy and selected area diffraction. The material consisted of single crystal platelets typically 1-2 nm thick and stacked with large relative rotations around the c-axis; individual platelets had both hexagonal and cubic stacking order. The lattice spacing of the (0002) planes was about 3% larger at the platelet boundaries which were the source of a high fraction of the nano-cracks. Tilting experiments demonstrated that these cracks were empty, and not, as often suggested, filled by amorphous material. In addition to conventional Mrozowski cracks, a new type of nano-crack is reported, which originates from the termination of a graphite platelet due to crystallographic requirements. Both types are crucial to understanding the evolution of macro-scale graphite properties with neutron irradiation.

An enhanced hydrogen adsorption enthalpy for fluoride intercalated graphite compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Hansong; Sha, Xianwei; Chen, Liang; Cooper, Alan C; Foo, Maw-Lin; Lau, Garret C; Bailey, Wade H; Pez, Guido P

2009-12-16

We present a combined theoretical and experimental study on H(2) physisorption in partially fluorinated graphite. This material, first predicted computationally using ab initio molecular dynamics simulation and subsequently synthesized and characterized experimentally, represents a novel class of "acceptor type" graphite intercalated compounds that exhibit significantly higher isosteric heat of adsorption for H(2) at near ambient temperatures than previously demonstrated for commonly available porous carbon-based materials. The unusually strong interaction arises from the semi-ionic nature of the C-F bonds. Although a high H(2) storage capacity (>4 wt %) at room temperature is predicted not to be feasible due to the low heat of adsorption, enhanced storage properties can be envisaged by doping the graphitic host with appropriate species to promote higher levels of charge transfer from graphene to F(-) anions.

Exfoliated graphite/titanium dioxide nanocomposites for photodegradation of eosin yellow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ndlovu, Thabile, E-mail: atkuvarega@gmail.com [University of Swaziland, Department of Chemistry, Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni (Swaziland); Kuvarega, Alex T.; Arotiba, Omotayo A. [University of Johannesburg, Department of Applied Chemistry, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028, Johannesburg (South Africa); Sampath, Srinivasan [Indian Institute of Science, Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Bangalore 560012 (India); Krause, Rui W. [Rhodes University, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 94, Grahamstown 6140 South Africa (South Africa); Mamba, Bhekie B., E-mail: bmamba@uj.ac.za [University of Johannesburg, Department of Applied Chemistry, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028, Johannesburg (South Africa)

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Preparation of exfoliated graphite (EG) from natural graphite. • Sol–gel anchoring of TiO{sub 2} on exfoliated graphite. • High adsorption and photoactivity was observed for the EG-TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite. • Mechanism of enhancement was proposed. - Abstract: An improved photocatalyst consisting of a nanocomposite of exfoliated graphite and titanium dioxide (EG-TiO{sub 2}) was prepared. SEM and TEM micrographs showed that the spherical TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles were evenly distributed on the surface of the EG sheets. A four times photocatalytic enhancement was observed for this floating nanocomposite compared to TiO{sub 2} and EG alone for the degradation of eosin yellow. For all the materials, the reactions followed first order kinetics where for EG-TiO{sub 2}, the rate constant was much higher than for EG and TiO{sub 2} under visible light irradiation. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of EG-TiO{sub 2} was ascribed to the capability of graphitic layers to accept and transport electrons from the excited TiO{sub 2}, promoting charge separation. This indicates that carbon, a cheap and abundant material, can be a good candidate as an electron attracting reservoir for photocatalytic organic pollutant degradation.

High-resolution optical microscopy of carbon and graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, W.H.; Allen, M.D.; Leslie, B.C.; Gray, R.J.

1975-01-01

The ceramographic preparation of carbonaceous materials varying in crystalline quality, amorphous carbon to well crystallized graphite, is described. In a two-step process, using alumina and diamond polishing compounds, one can prepare more samples, obtain a substantial saving in man hours, avoid rounding material around pores, and obtain flatter surfaces than were obtainable with earlier, conventional methods. Improved resolution of microstructural details is achieved without impregnation with epoxy resins or other materials to support the porous structures. Use of rotatable, half-wave retardation (sensitive tint) enhances the microstructural definition in both color and black and white. These innovations were extensively used as part of the examination of nuclear grades of graphite before and after exposure to fast neutrons at temperatures from 650 to 1100 0 C; typical examples are discussed. (auth)

Derivation of a radionuclide inventory for irradiated graphite-chlorine-36 inventory determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, F.J.; Palmer, J.D.; Wood, P.

2001-01-01

The irradiation of materials in nuclear reactors results in neutron activation of component elements. Irradiated graphite wastes arise from their use in UK gas-cooled research and commercial reactor cores, and in fuel element components, where the graphite has acted as the neutron moderator. During irradiation the residual chlorine, which was used to purify the graphite during manufacture, is activated to chlorine-36. This isotope is long-lived and poorly retarded by geological barriers, and may therefore be a key radionuclide with respect to post-closure disposal facilities performance. United Kingdom Nirex Limited, currently responsible for the development of a disposal route for intermediate-level radioactive wastes in the UK, carried out a major research programme to support an overall assessment of the chlorine-36 activity of all wastes including graphite reactor components. The various UK gas cooled reactors reactors have used a range of graphite components made from diverse graphite types; this has necessitated a systematic programme to cover the wide range of graphite and production processes. The programme consisted of: precursor measurements - on the surface and/or bulk of representative samples of relevant materials, using specially developed methods; transfer studies - to quantify the potential for transfer of Cl-36 into and between waste streams during irradiation of graphite; theoretical assessments - to support the calculational methodology; actual measurements - to confirm the modelling. For graphite, a total of 458 measurements on samples from 57 batches were performed, to provide a detailed understanding of the composition of nuclear graphite. The work has resulted in the generation of probability density functions (PDF) for the mean chlorine concentration of three classes of graphite: fuel element graphite; Magnox moderator and reflector graphite and AGR reflector graphite; AGR moderator graphite. Transfer studies have shown that a significant

Porosity effects in the neutron total cross section of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santisteban, J. R; Dawidowski, J; Petriw, S. N

2009-01-01

Graphite has been used in nuclear reactors since the birth of the nuclear industry due to its good performance as a neutron moderator material. Graphite is still an option as moderator for generation IV reactors due to its good mechanical and thermal properties at high operation temperatures. So, there has been renewed interest in a revision of the computer libraries used to describe the neutron cross section of graphite. For sub-thermal neutron energies, polycrystalline graphite shows a larger total cross section (between 4 and 8 barns) than predicted by existing theoretical models (0.2 barns). In order to investigate the origin of this discrepancy we measured the total cross section of graphite samples of three different origins, in the energy range from 0.001 eV to 10 eV. Different experimental arrangements and sample treatments were explored, to identify the effect of various experimental parameters on the total cross section measurement. The experiments showed that the increase in total cross section is due to neutrons scattered around the forward direction. We associate these small-angle scattered neutrons (SANS) to the porous structure of graphite, and formulate a very simple model to compute its contribution to the total cross section of the material. This results in an analytic expression that explicitly depends on the density and mean size of the pores, which can be easily incorporated in nuclear library codes. [es

Diffusion of cesium and iodine in compressed IG-110 graphite compacts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, L.M.; Brockman, J.D.; Robertson, J.D.; Loyalka, S.K.

2016-01-01

Nuclear graphite grade IG-110 is currently used in the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) in Japan for certain permanent and replaceable core components, and is a material of interest in general. Therefore, transport parameters for fission products in this material are needed. Measurement of diffusion through pressed compacts of IG-110 graphite is experimentally attractive because they are easy to prepare with homogeneous distributions of fission product surrogates. In this work, we measured diffusion coefficients for Cs and I in pressed compacts made from IG-110 powder in the 1079–1290 K temperature range, and compared them to those obtained in as-received IG-110. - Highlights: • A method for analysis of fission product diffusion in graphite by ICP-MS was applied to pressed IG-110 graphite compacts containing cesium and iodine. • Diffusion coefficients for cesium and iodine were obtained. • The measurement design simulates HTGR conditions of high temperature and flowing helium.

Depleted Hydrocarbon Reservoirs Present a Safe and Practical Burial Solution for Graphite Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahmani, L.

2016-01-01

A solution for graphite waste is proposed that combines reliance on thick impermeable host rock that is needed to confine the long-life radioactivity content of most irradiated graphite with low capitalistic and operational unit volume costs that are required to render this bulky waste form manageable. The solution, uniquely applicable to irradiated graphite due to its low dose rates, moderate mechanical strength and light density, consists in three steps: first, graphite is fine-crushed under water; second, it is made in an aqueous suspension; third, the suspension is injected into a deep, disused hydrocarbon reservoir. Each of these steps only involves well mastered techniques. Regulatory changes that may allow this solution to be added to the gamut of available waste routes, geochemical issues, availability of depleted reservoirs and cost projections are presented. (author)

Features of spherical uranium-graphite HTGR fuel elements control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kreindlin, I.I.; Oleynikov, P.P.; Shtan, A.S.

1985-01-01

Control features of spherical HTGR uranium-graphite fuel elements with spherical coated fuel particles are mainly determined by their specific construction and fabrication technology. The technology is chiefly based on methods of ceramic fuel (fuel microspheres fabrication) and graphite production practice it is necessary to deal with a lot of problems from determination of raw materials properties to final fuel elements testing. These procedures are described

Features of spherical uranium-graphite HTGR fuel elements control

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kreindlin, I I; Oleynikov, P P; Shtan, A S

1985-07-01

Control features of spherical HTGR uranium-graphite fuel elements with spherical coated fuel particles are mainly determined by their specific construction and fabrication technology. The technology is chiefly based on methods of ceramic fuel (fuel microspheres fabrication) and graphite production practice it is necessary to deal with a lot of problems from determination of raw materials properties to final fuel elements testing. These procedures are described.

Roll-to-Roll Laser-Printed Graphene-Graphitic Carbon Electrodes for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sangmin; Lim, Kyungmi; Park, Hyeokjun; Park, Jong Bo; Park, Seong Chae; Cho, Sung-Pyo; Kang, Kisuk; Hong, Byung Hee

2018-01-10

Carbon electrodes including graphene and thin graphite films have been utilized for various energy and sensor applications, where the patterning of electrodes is essentially included. Laser scribing in a DVD writer and inkjet printing were used to pattern the graphene-like materials, but the size and speed of fabrication has been limited for practical applications. In this work, we devise a simple strategy to use conventional laser-printer toner materials as precursors for graphitic carbon electrodes. The toner was laser-printed on metal foils, followed by thermal annealing in hydrogen environment, finally resulting in the patterned thin graphitic carbon or graphene electrodes for supercapacitors. The electrochemical cells made of the graphene-graphitic carbon electrodes show remarkably higher energy and power performance compared to conventional supercapacitors. Furthermore, considering the simplicity and scalability of roll-to-roll (R2R) electrode patterning processes, the proposed method would enable cheaper and larger-scale synthesis and patterning of graphene-graphitic carbon electrodes for various energy applications in the future.

Leaching of 14C and 36Cl from irradiated French graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, W.J.; Morgan, W.C.

1989-08-01

The leach rates of 14 C and 36 Cl were measured on solid cylindrical samples prepared from irradiated graphite blocks supplied by the French Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique (CEA). Static leach tests were conducted in deionized water at 20 degree C for 13 weeks. The graphite samples were completely submerged in the water, and the entire volume of water was changed and analyzed at weekly intervals for the first three weeks and biweekly thereafter. Large differences in the leach rates of both 14 C and 36 Cl were observed between samples machined from the different blocks. In general, the leach rates were much higher than those measured in an earlier study with graphite obtained from a block removed from one of the Hanford reactors. The data from this study are compared with those from the previous study using the Hanford-reactor graphite. Implications of the data from both studies regarding possible rate-limiting mechanisms are discussed. 4 refs., 8 figs., 3 tabs

Testing of Small Graphite Samples for Nuclear Qualification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Julie Chapman

2010-11-01

Accurately determining the mechanical properties of small irradiated samples is crucial to predicting the behavior of the overal irradiated graphite components within a Very High Temperature Reactor. The sample size allowed in a material test reactor, however, is limited, and this poses some difficulties with respect to mechanical testing. In the case of graphite with a larger grain size, a small sample may exhibit characteristics not representative of the bulk material, leading to inaccuracies in the data. A study to determine a potential size effect on the tensile strength was pursued under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant program. It focuses first on optimizing the tensile testing procedure identified in the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard C 781-08. Once the testing procedure was verified, a size effect was assessed by gradually reducing the diameter of the specimens. By monitoring the material response, a size effect was successfully identified.

Hydrogen storage in graphite nanofibers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, C.; Tan, C.D.; Hidalgo, R.; Baker, R.T.K.; Rodriguez, N.M. [Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (United States). Chemistry Dept.

1998-08-01

Graphite nanofibers (GNF) are a type of material that is produced by the decomposition of carbon containing gases over metal catalyst particles at temperatures around 600 C. These molecularly engineered structures consist of graphene sheets perfectly arranged in a parallel, perpendicular or at angle orientation with respect to the fiber axis. The most important feature of the material is that only edges are exposed. Such an arrangement imparts the material with unique properties for gas adsorption because the evenly separated layers constitute the most ordered set of nanopores that can accommodate an adsorbate in the most efficient manner. In addition, the non-rigid pore walls can also expand so as to accommodate hydrogen in a multilayer conformation. Of the many varieties of structures that can be produced the authors have discovered that when gram quantities of a selected number of GNF are exposed to hydrogen at pressures of {approximately} 2,000 psi, they are capable of adsorbing and storing up to 40 wt% of hydrogen. It is believed that a strong interaction is established between hydrogen and the delocalized p-electrons present in the graphite layers and therefore a new type of chemistry is occurring within these confined structures.

High-temperature brazing of graphite using aluminium as brazing alloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anikin, L.T.; Kravetskij, G.A.; Dergunova, V.S.

1977-01-01

The possibility of enhancing the strength of brazed joints, as well as the effect of the parameters of resistance heating of graphite VPP with PA-4 aluminium on the structure, composition and strength of the joint have been studied. It has been established that brazing of graphite materials, using an aluminium solder will produce a heat-resistant joint of a graphitic composition if the brazing temperature exceeds 2200 deg C. Thermocycling in the course of brazing results in a substantial (1.5-fold) increase in the strength of brazed joints

Research on preparation and performance of graphite cement-based materials used for fast neutron shielding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Jun; Kang Qing; Shen Zhiqiang; Wang Zhenggang; Wang Zhiqiang

2014-01-01

Measurements have been carried out to investigate the 14.8 MeV neutron attenuation properties for 3 kinds of cement-graphite composites. In comparison with the void group, the 14.8 MeV neutron attenuation properties of cement-graphite composites raised not clearly in 8 mm thickness, and drop not remarkably in 40 mm thickness; with the increase of graphite content and the thickness, the 14.8 MeV neutron attenuation properties were enhanced clearly. The data may be useful to the radiation shielding design of neutron. (authors)

Fabrication of uranium carbide/beryllium carbide/graphite experimental-fuel-element specimens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muenzer, W.A.

1978-01-01

A method has been developed for fabricating uranium carbide/beryllium carbide/graphite fuel-element specimens for reactor-core-meltdown studies. The method involves milling and blending the raw materials and densifying the resulting blend by conventional graphite-die hot-pressing techniques. It can be used to fabricate specimens with good physical integrity and material dispersion, with densities of greater than 90% of the theoretical density, and with a uranium carbide particle size of less than 10 μm

Draft of standard for graphite core components in high temperature gas-cooled reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Taiju; Sawa, Kazuhiro; Eto, Motokuni; Kunimoto, Eiji; Shiozawa, Shusaku; Oku, Tatsuo; Maruyama, Tadashi

2010-01-01

For the design of the graphite components in the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR), the graphite structural design code for the HTTR etc. were applied. However, general standard systems for the High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) have not been established yet. The authors had studied on the technical issues which is necessary for the establishment of a general standard system for the graphite components in the HTGR. The results of the study were documented and discussed at a 'Special committee on research on preparation for codes for graphite components in HTGR' at Atomic Energy Society of Japan (AESJ). As a result, 'Draft of Standard for Graphite Core Components in High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor.' was established. In the draft standard, the graphite components are classified three categories (A, B and C) in the standpoints of safety functions and possibility of replacement. For the components in the each class, design standard, material and product standards, and in-service inspection and maintenance standard are determined. As an appendix of the design standard, the graphical expressions of material property data of 1G-110 graphite as a function of fast neutron fluence are expressed. The graphical expressions were determined through the interpolation and extrapolation of the irradiated data. (author)

A study of the relationship between microstructure and oxidation effects in nuclear graphite at very high temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Lo, I.-Hsuan; Tzelepi, Athanasia; Patterson, Eann A.; Yeh, Tsung-Kuang

2018-04-01

Graphite is used in the cores of gas-cooled reactors as both the neutron moderator and a structural material, and traditional and novel graphite materials are being studied worldwide for applications in Generation IV reactors. In this study, the oxidation characteristics of petroleum-based IG-110 and pitch-based IG-430 graphite pellets in helium and air environments at temperatures ranging from 700 to 1600 °C were investigated. The oxidation rates and activation energies were determined based on mass loss measurements in a series of oxidation tests. The surface morphology was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Although the thermal oxidation mechanism was previously considered to be the same for all temperatures higher than 1000 °C, the significant increases in oxidation rate observed at very high temperatures suggest that the oxidation behavior of the selected graphite materials at temperatures higher than 1200 °C is different. This work demonstrates that changes in surface morphology and in oxidation rate of the filler particles in the graphite materials are more prominent at temperatures above 1200 °C. Furthermore, possible intrinsic factors contributing to the oxidation of the two graphite materials at different temperature ranges are discussed taking account of the dominant role played by temperature.

Comparative inhalation toxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and low surface carbon black.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma-Hock, Lan; Strauss, Volker; Treumann, Silke; Küttler, Karin; Wohlleben, Wendel; Hofmann, Thomas; Gröters, Sibylle; Wiench, Karin; van Ravenzwaay, Bennard; Landsiedel, Robert

2013-06-17

Carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and carbon black are seemingly chemically identical carbon-based nano-materials with broad technological applications. Carbon nanotubes and carbon black possess different inhalation toxicities, whereas little is known about graphene and graphite nanoplatelets. In order to compare the inhalation toxicity of the mentioned carbon-based nanomaterials, male Wistar rats were exposed head-nose to atmospheres of the respective materials for 6 hours per day on 5 consecutive days. Target concentrations were 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/m3 for multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 0.5, 2.5, or 10 mg/m3 for graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and low-surface carbon black. Toxicity was determined after end of exposure and after three-week recovery using broncho-alveolar lavage fluid and microscopic examinations of the entire respiratory tract. No adverse effects were observed after inhalation exposure to 10 mg/m3 graphite nanoplatelets or relatively low specific surface area carbon black. Increases of lavage markers indicative for inflammatory processes started at exposure concentration of 0.5 mg/m3 for multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 10 mg/m3 for graphene. Consistent with the changes in lavage fluid, microgranulomas were observed at 2.5 mg/m3 multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 10 mg/m3 graphene. In order to evaluate volumetric loading of the lung as the key parameter driving the toxicity, deposited particle volume was calculated, taking into account different methods to determine the agglomerate density. However, the calculated volumetric load did not correlate to the toxicity, nor did the particle surface burden of the lung. The inhalation toxicity of the investigated carbon-based materials is likely to be a complex interaction of several parameters. Until the properties which govern the toxicity are identified, testing by short-term inhalation is the best option to identify hazardous properties in order to avoid unsafe applications or select

Comparative inhalation toxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and low surface carbon black

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and carbon black are seemingly chemically identical carbon-based nano-materials with broad technological applications. Carbon nanotubes and carbon black possess different inhalation toxicities, whereas little is known about graphene and graphite nanoplatelets. Methods In order to compare the inhalation toxicity of the mentioned carbon-based nanomaterials, male Wistar rats were exposed head-nose to atmospheres of the respective materials for 6 hours per day on 5 consecutive days. Target concentrations were 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/m3 for multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 0.5, 2.5, or 10 mg/m3 for graphene, graphite nanoplatelets and low-surface carbon black. Toxicity was determined after end of exposure and after three-week recovery using broncho-alveolar lavage fluid and microscopic examinations of the entire respiratory tract. Results No adverse effects were observed after inhalation exposure to 10 mg/m3 graphite nanoplatelets or relatively low specific surface area carbon black. Increases of lavage markers indicative for inflammatory processes started at exposure concentration of 0.5 mg/m3 for multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 10 mg/m3 for graphene. Consistent with the changes in lavage fluid, microgranulomas were observed at 2.5 mg/m3 multi-wall carbon nanotubes and 10 mg/m3 graphene. In order to evaluate volumetric loading of the lung as the key parameter driving the toxicity, deposited particle volume was calculated, taking into account different methods to determine the agglomerate density. However, the calculated volumetric load did not correlate to the toxicity, nor did the particle surface burden of the lung. Conclusions The inhalation toxicity of the investigated carbon-based materials is likely to be a complex interaction of several parameters. Until the properties which govern the toxicity are identified, testing by short-term inhalation is the best option to identify hazardous properties in

Development of design data for graphite reinforced epoxy and polyimide composites

Science.gov (United States)

Scheck, W. G.

1974-01-01

Processing techniques and design data were characterized for a graphite/epoxy composite system that is useful from 75 K to 450 K, and a graphite/polyimide composite system that is useful from 75 K to 589 K. The Monsanto 710 polyimide resin was selected as the resin to be characterized and used with the graphite fiber reinforcement. Material was purchased using the prepreg specification for the design data generation for both the HT-S/710 and HM-S/710 graphite/polyimide composite system. Lamina and laminate properties were determined at 75 K, 297 K, and 589 K. The test results obtained on the skin-stringer components proved that graphite/polyimide composites can be reliably designed and analyzed much like graphite/epoxy composites. The design data generated in the program includes the standard static mechanical properties, biaxial strain data, creep, fatigue, aging, and thick laminate data.

Brazing of molybdenum- and tungsten based refractory materials with copper and graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boutes, J.; Falbriard, P.; Rochette, P.; Nicolas, G.

1989-01-01

Molybdenum and Tungsten base refractory metals and alloys have been brazed 1. to copper between 800 0 C and 900 0 C with silver base metal; 2. to graphite, with CVD coatings between 800 0 C and 900 0 C with silver base metal and between 1100 0 C and 1200 0 C with copper base metal; 3. to graphite between 800 0 C and 1100 0 C with silver or nickel base metal. The brazed joints have been characterized by micrographic observations before and after bending tests from room temperature to 800 0 C. 2 tabs., 9 figs. (Author)

A Study Of Physical Properties Of Matrix Graphite Particle's Distribution As Ras Materials On 900oC Baking Stage Temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sajekti, Kasilani Noor; Dahroni, Imam; Nawangsih, Endang

2000-01-01

To aim's the physical characteristic of matrix graphite materials the physical basic characteristics were necessary prepared. Investigation of calsine cokes particle size distribution effect on 900 o C temperature baking stage had been done. The calsine coke and tar pitch were crushed and sieved, to get a particle size 63; 90; 106 and 125 μm, making pellet by mixed with 33% weight of tar pitch, than grilled at 900 o C during 30 minutes. Grilled products: physical (bulk density, electrical resistivity), mechanics (hardness, compressive strength) and micro's (surface area, total and pore radius) were analyzed. From the 9 samples, 3 samples in fulfilled condition with mixed particle size of calsine cokes 63 and 106 μm and the best weight ratio between calsine coke and tar pitch were 2/3:4/3 to 1. The physical properties yield were 1.19 g/mL bulk density, the electrical resistivity 2.63 Ωcm, the hardness 5.90 kg/mm 2 , the compressive strength 1600 Newton, the density (N 2 adsorbate) 2.89 g/mL, the specific surface area 8.08 mm 2 /g,the total pore /volume 1.48% and the average pore radius 12.60 Angstrom

Dynamic method for the measurement of Young'S modulus. Application to nuclear graphites; Methode de mesure dynamique du module d'Young. Application aux graphites nucleaires

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pattou, F; Trutt, J C

1963-07-01

A dynamic method has been developed for measuring Young's modulus and the rigidity modulus using the 'Forster Elastomat'. The principle consists in the determination of the resonance frequencies of graphite samples submitted to transverse, longitudinal, and torsional vibrations. The first two modes of vibration make it possible to calculate the elasticity modulus or the Young's modulus E, the third mode makes possible the calculation of the rigidity modulus G. The relationships from which the moduli E and G are measured are given. A systematic study has been made of graphite samples produced by extrusion or compression and submitted afterwards to one or several impregnations with pitch. For graphites made from the same coke by the same method, a linear relationship has been found for Young's modulus as a function of the apparent density. For the same apparent density, graphites made from different starting materials have generally different Young's moduli that bear a relationship to the crystalline characteristics of the material. The measurements of the rigidity modulus C made on different graphites also show the influence of crystallite orientation. (authors) [French] Une methode de mesure dynamique du module d'Young et du module de rigidite du graphite utilisant 'l'Elastomat Forster' a ete mise au point. Le principe consiste a determiner les frequences de resonance d'echantillons de graphite soumis a des vibrations transversales, longitudinales et de torsion. Les deux premiers modes de vibration permettent de calculer le module d'elasticite ou module d'Young E, le troisieme mode de vibration permet de calculer le module de rigidite G. Apres avoir decrit la methode de mesure, on rappelle les relations qui permettent de calculer les modules E et G. L'etude systematique d'echantillons de graphite, fabriques par filage ou pressage et ayant subi eventuellement une ou plusieurs impregnations au brai a ete effectuee. Pour les graphites issus du meme coke et fabriques

Application of a micromechanics model to the overall properties of heterogeneous graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berre, C.; Mummery, P.M.; Marsden, B.J.; Mori, T.; Withers, P.J.

2008-01-01

This paper deals with the overall properties of polycrystalline graphite, a material mainly composed of voids and dense inhomogeneities embedded in a less dense matrix. First, we examine the overall average elastic properties and conductivities of such a material. Second, we evaluate the void shape effects on the overall Young's modulus. Finally, we compare the results obtained from the analytical model with experimental data from radiolytic oxidation of graphite

Fracture toughness testing of a reactor grade graphite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roeding, M.; Klein, G.; Schiffers, H.; Nickel, H.

1976-03-15

Fracture mechanics is a well established tool for the assessment of brittle fracture in metallic structural materials. In this paper an attempt is made to apply fracture mechanics to a reactor-grade graphite. The effect of several test parameters on the stress intensity factor was measured; this was found to lie in the range 25 and 50 N/mm/sup -3/2/. The results are discussed in terms of the well known mechanical characteristics of graphite.

Oxidation kinetics of innovative carbon materials with respect to severe air ingress accidents in HTRs and graphite disposal or processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schloegel, Baerbel

2010-01-01

Currently future nuclear reactor concepts of the Fourth Generation (Gen IV) are under development. To some extend they apply with new, innovative materials developed just for this purpose. This thesis work aims at a concept of Generation IV Very High Temperature Reactors (VHTR) in the framework of the European project RAPHAEL (ReActor for Process heat, Hydrogen And ELectricity generation). The concept named ANTARES (AREVA New Technology based on advanced gas-cooled Reactors for Energy Supply) was developed by AEVA NP. It is a helium cooled, graphite moderated modular reactor for electricity and hydrogen production, by providing the necessary process heat due to its high working temperature. Particular attention is given here to oxidation kinetics of newly developed carbon materials (NBG-17) with still unknown but needed information in context of severe air ingress accident in VHTR's. Special interest is paid to the Boudouard reaction, the oxidation of carbon by CO 2 . In case of an air ingress accident, carbon dioxide is produced in the primary reaction of atmospheric oxygen with reflector graphite. From there CO 2 could flow into the reactor core causing further damage by conversion into CO. The purpose of this thesis is to ascertain if and to what degree this could happen. First of all oxidation kinetic data of the Boudouard reaction with NBG-17 is determined by experiments in a thermo gravimetric facility. The measurements are evaluated and converted into a common formula and a Langmuir-Hinshelwood similar oxidation kinetic equation, as input for the computer code REACT/THERMIX. This code is then applied to analyse severe air ingress accidents for several air flow rates. The results are discussed for two accident situations, in which a certain graphite burn off is achieved. All cases show much more damage to the graphite bottom reflector than to the reactor core. Thus the bottom reflector will lose its structural integrity much earlier than the core itself will

AMS-C14 analysis of graphite obtained with an Automated Graphitization Equipment (AGE III) from aerosol collected on quartz filters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solís, C.; Chávez, E.; Ortiz, M.E.; Andrade, E. [Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 México D.F. (Mexico); Ortíz, E. [Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, México D.F. (Mexico); Szidat, S. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, CH-3012 Bern (Switzerland); Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen (Switzerland); Wacker, L. [Laboratory of Ion Physics, ETH, Honggerberg, Zurich (Switzerland)

2015-10-15

AMS-{sup 14}C applications often require the analysis of small samples. Such is the case of atmospheric aerosols where frequently only a small amount of sample is available. The ion beam physics group at the ETH, Zurich, has designed an Automated Graphitization Equipment (AGE III) for routine graphite production for AMS analysis from organic samples of approximately 1 mg. In this study, we explore the potential use of the AGE III for graphitization of particulate carbon collected in quartz filters. In order to test the methodology, samples of reference materials and blanks with different sizes were prepared in the AGE III and the graphite was analyzed in a MICADAS AMS (ETH) system. The graphite samples prepared in the AGE III showed recovery yields higher than 80% and reproducible {sup 14}C values for masses ranging from 50 to 300 μg. Also, reproducible radiocarbon values were obtained for aerosol filters of small sizes that had been graphitized in the AGE III. As a study case, the tested methodology was applied to PM{sub 10} samples collected in two urban cities in Mexico in order to compare the source apportionment of biomass and fossil fuel combustion. The obtained {sup 14}C data showed that carbonaceous aerosols from Mexico City have much lower biogenic signature than the smaller city of Cuernavaca.

Free vibration of fully functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced graphite/epoxy laminates

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Shih-Yao

2018-03-01

This study provides the first-known vibration analysis of fully functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced hybrid composite (FFG-CNTRHC) laminates. CNTs are non-uniformly distributed to reinforce the graphite/epoxy laminates. Some CNT distribution functions in the plane and thickness directions are proposed to more efficiently increase the stiffening effect. The rule of mixtures is modified by considering the non-homogeneous material properties of FFG-CNTRHC laminates. The formulation of the location dependent stiffness matrix and mass matrix is derived. The effects of CNT volume fraction and distribution on the natural frequencies of FFG-CNTRHC laminates are discussed. The results reveal that the FFG layout may significantly increase the natural frequencies of FFG-CNTRHC laminate.

Wearable strain sensors based on thin graphite films for human activity monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Takanari; Kihara, Yusuke; Shirakashi, Jun-ichi

2017-12-01

Wearable health-monitoring devices have attracted increasing attention in disease diagnosis and health assessment. In many cases, such devices have been prepared by complicated multistep procedures which result in the waste of materials and require expensive facilities. In this study, we focused on pyrolytic graphite sheet (PGS), which is a low-cost, simple, and flexible material, used as wearable devices for monitoring human activity. We investigated wearable devices based on PGSs for the observation of elbow and finger motions. The thin graphite films were fabricated by cutting small films from PGSs. The wearable devices were then made from the thin graphite films assembled on a commercially available rubber glove. The human motions could be observed using the wearable devices. Therefore, these results suggested that the wearable devices based on thin graphite films may broaden their application in cost-effective wearable electronics for the observation of human activity.

Environmentally benign graphite intercalation compound composition for exfoliated graphite, flexible graphite, and nano-scaled graphene platelets

Science.gov (United States)

Zhamu, Aruna; Jang, Bor Z.

2014-06-17

A carboxylic-intercalated graphite compound composition for the production of exfoliated graphite, flexible graphite, or nano-scaled graphene platelets. The composition comprises a layered graphite with interlayer spaces or interstices and a carboxylic acid residing in at least one of the interstices, wherein the composition is prepared by a chemical oxidation reaction which uses a combination of a carboxylic acid and hydrogen peroxide as an intercalate source. Alternatively, the composition may be prepared by an electrochemical reaction, which uses a carboxylic acid as both an electrolyte and an intercalate source. Exfoliation of the invented composition does not release undesirable chemical contaminants into air or drainage.

Preparation and properties of palmitic-stearic acid eutectic mixture/expanded graphite composite as phase change material for energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Nan; Yuan, Yanping; Du, Yanxia; Cao, Xiaoling; Yuan, Yaguang

2014-01-01

A novel composite PCM (phase change material) with PA-SA (palmitic-stearic acid) eutectic mixture as PCM and EG (expanded graphite) as supporting material was prepared. The optimum absorption ratio of PA-SA/EG (Palmitic-stearic acid/expanded graphite) composite PCM was determined as PA-SA:EG = 13:1 (by mass). Scanning electron microscope and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy results show that PA-SA was uniformly distributed in the porous network structure of EG due to the physical action. Thermal property and thermal stability of the PA-SA/EG composite PCM were characterized by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry) and TGA (thermogravimetric analysis). DSC results indicated that the melting and freezing temperatures and latent heats of PA-SA/EG were measured as 53.89 °C and 54.37 °C, and 166.27 J/g and 166.13 J/g. TGA test results revealed that PA-SA/EG had a good thermal stability in working temperature range. Thermal cycling test results showed PA-SA/EG had a good thermal reliability after 720 thermal cycles. Thermal conductivity of the composite PCM was measured as 2.51 W/m K, much higher than that of PA-SA. The thermal energy storage and release rates of PA-SA/EG were also increased due to the high thermal conductivity of EG. In conclusion, the prepared PA-SA/EG composite PCM can be acted as a potential material for thermal energy storage due to the acceptable thermal properties, good thermal reliability and stability, high thermal conductivity. - Highlights: • PA-SA/EG (Palmitic-stearic acid/expanded graphite) composite PCM was prepared. • Optimum absorption ratio of PA-SA in EG was obtained as 13:1 (by mass). • Thermal conductivity and performance of PA-SA/EG have been significate improved. • PA-SA/EG has a good thermal reliability and thermal stability

Gas storage cylinder formed from a composition containing thermally exfoliated graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Prud'Homme, Robert K. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A gas storage cylinder or gas storage cylinder liner, formed from a polymer composite, containing at least one polymer and a modified graphite oxide material, which is a thermally exfoliated graphite oxide with a surface area of from about 300 m(exp 2)/g to 2600 m(exp 2)2/g.

Graphitization of diamond with a metallic coating on ferritic matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabral, Stenio Cavalier; Oliveira, Hellen Cristine Prata de; Filgueira, Marcello

2010-01-01

Iron is a strong catalyst of graphitization of diamonds. This graphitization occurs mainly during the processing of composites - conventional sintering or hot pressing, and during cutting operations. Aiming to avoid or minimize this deleterious effect, there is increasing use of diamond coated with metallic materials in the production of diamond tools processed via powder metallurgy. This work studies the influence of Fe on diamond graphitization diamond-coated Ti after mixing of Fe-diamonds, hot pressing parameters were performed with 3 minutes/35MPa/900 deg C - this is the condition of pressing hot used in industry for production of diamond tools. Microstructural features were observed by SEM, diffusion of Fe in diamond was studied by EDS. Graphitization was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that Fe not activate graphitization on the diamond under the conditions of hot pressing. (author)

Nano-scale orientation mapping of graphite in cast irons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theuwissen, Koenraad; Lacaze, Jacques; Véron, Muriel; Laffont, Lydia

2014-01-01

A diametrical section of a graphite spheroid from a ductile iron sample was prepared using the focused ion beam-lift out technique. Characterization of this section was carried out through automated crystal orientation mapping in a transmission electron microscope. This new technique automatically collects electron diffraction patterns and matches them with precalculated templates. The results of this investigation are crystal orientation and phase maps of the specimen, which bring new light to the understanding of growth mechanisms of this peculiar graphite morphology. This article shows that mapping the orientation of carbon-based materials such as graphite, which is difficult to achieve with conventional techniques, can be performed automatically and at high spatial resolution using automated crystal orientation mapping in a transmission electron microscope. - Highlights: • ACOM/TEM can be used to study the crystal orientation of carbon-based materials. • A spheroid is formed by conical sectors radiating from a central nuclei. • Misorientations exist within the conical sectors, defining various orientation domains

GRAPHITIZED STEELS IN MACHINE-BUILDING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Akimov

2010-01-01

Full Text Available It is shown that graphitized steels in some cases due to its intermediate disposition by structure and characteristics among low-carbon steels and cast irons, can provide the necessary combination of characteristics of construction material and consequently to increase safety and durability of details of metallurgical and machinebuilding industry machines.

On residual gas analysis during high temperature baking of graphite tiles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prakash, A A; Chaudhuri, P; Khirwadkar, S; Reddy, D Chenna; Saxena, Y C; Chauhan, N; Raole, P M

2008-01-01

Steady-state Super-conducting Tokamak-1 (SST-1) is a medium size tokamak with major radius of 1.1 m and minor radius of 0.20 m. It is designed for plasma discharge duration of 1000 seconds to obtain fully steady-state plasma operation. Plasma Facing Components (PFC), consisting of divertors, passive stabilizers, baffles and poloidal limiters are also designed to be UHV compatible for steady state operation. All PFC are made up of graphite tiles mechanically attached to the copper alloy substrate. Graphite is one of the preferred first wall armour material in present day tokamaks. High thermal shock resistance and low atomic number of carbon are the most important properties of graphite for this application. High temperature vacuum baking of graphite tiles is the standard process to remove the impurities. Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA) has been used for qualitative and quantitative measurements of released gases from graphite tiles during baking. Surface Analysis of graphite tiles has also been done before and after baking. This paper describes the residual gas analysis during baking and surface analysis of graphite tiles

On residual gas analysis during high temperature baking of graphite tiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prakash, A A; Chaudhuri, P; Khirwadkar, S; Reddy, D Chenna; Saxena, Y C [Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar - 382 428 (India); Chauhan, N; Raole, P M [Facilitation Center for Industrial Plasma Technologies, IPR, Gandhinagar (India)], E-mail: arun@ipr.res.in

2008-05-01

Steady-state Super-conducting Tokamak-1 (SST-1) is a medium size tokamak with major radius of 1.1 m and minor radius of 0.20 m. It is designed for plasma discharge duration of 1000 seconds to obtain fully steady-state plasma operation. Plasma Facing Components (PFC), consisting of divertors, passive stabilizers, baffles and poloidal limiters are also designed to be UHV compatible for steady state operation. All PFC are made up of graphite tiles mechanically attached to the copper alloy substrate. Graphite is one of the preferred first wall armour material in present day tokamaks. High thermal shock resistance and low atomic number of carbon are the most important properties of graphite for this application. High temperature vacuum baking of graphite tiles is the standard process to remove the impurities. Residual Gas Analyzer (RGA) has been used for qualitative and quantitative measurements of released gases from graphite tiles during baking. Surface Analysis of graphite tiles has also been done before and after baking. This paper describes the residual gas analysis during baking and surface analysis of graphite tiles.

Electron transfer kinetics on natural crystals of MoS2 and graphite.

Science.gov (United States)

Velický, Matěj; Bissett, Mark A; Toth, Peter S; Patten, Hollie V; Worrall, Stephen D; Rodgers, Andrew N J; Hill, Ernie W; Kinloch, Ian A; Novoselov, Konstantin S; Georgiou, Thanasis; Britnell, Liam; Dryfe, Robert A W

2015-07-21

Here, we evaluate the electrochemical performance of sparsely studied natural crystals of molybdenite and graphite, which have increasingly been used for fabrication of next generation monolayer molybdenum disulphide and graphene energy storage devices. Heterogeneous electron transfer kinetics of several redox mediators, including Fe(CN)6(3-/4-), Ru(NH3)6(3+/2+) and IrCl6(2-/3-) are determined using voltammetry in a micro-droplet cell. The kinetics on both materials are studied as a function of surface defectiveness, surface ageing, applied potential and illumination. We find that the basal planes of both natural MoS2 and graphite show significant electroactivity, but a large decrease in electron transfer kinetics is observed on atmosphere-aged surfaces in comparison to in situ freshly cleaved surfaces of both materials. This is attributed to surface oxidation and adsorption of airborne contaminants at the surface exposed to an ambient environment. In contrast to semimetallic graphite, the electrode kinetics on semiconducting MoS2 are strongly dependent on the surface illumination and applied potential. Furthermore, while visibly present defects/cracks do not significantly affect the response of graphite, the kinetics on MoS2 systematically accelerate with small increase in disorder. These findings have direct implications for use of MoS2 and graphene/graphite as electrode materials in electrochemistry-related applications.

Thermomechanical behavior of graphite and coating materials subjected to a high heat flux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ioki, K.; Yamada, M.; Nishikawa, M.; Uchikawa, T.; Onozuka, M.; Yamao, H.

1987-07-01

This study has been performed for the development of limiter and divertor plates. Their thermal and thermomechanical behavior were examined in heat load experiments with an electron beam facility, and were compared with analysis results. Graphite was proven to have a high thermal shock resistance. Its erosion thickness and thermal contact conductance were also studied. Copper alloy with coating and graphite brazed to metal were tested, and their feasibility was demonstrated for use as limiter and divertor plates of an advanced-type concept.

Magnesium alloy and graphite wastes encapsulated in cementitious materials - Experimental approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chartier, D.; Sanchez-Canet, J.; Muzeau, B.; Monguillon, C.; Stefan, L.

2015-01-01

Magnesium alloys (Mg-0.8%Zr and Mg-1.2%Mn) and graphite from spent nuclear fuel, that have been used in the former French gas cooled reactors, have been stored together in AREVA La Hague plant. The recovery and packaging of these wastes is currently studied and several solutions are under consideration. One of the developed solutions would be to mix these wastes in a grout composed of industrially available cement, e.g. OPC (Ordinary Portland Cement), OPC blended with blast furnace slag or aluminous cement. Within the alkaline pore solution of these matrixes, magnesium alloys are imperfectly protected by a layer of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH) 2 , Brucite) resulting in a slow process of corrosion releasing hydrogen. As the production of this gas must be considered for the storage safety, it is important to select a cement matrix capable of lowering the corrosion kinetics of magnesium alloys. This is especially true when magnesium alloys are conditioned together with graphite wastes. Indeed, galvanic coupling phenomena may increase early age corrosion of the mixed waste, as magnesium and graphite will be found in electrical contact in the same electrolyte. Many types of common cements have been tested. All of them have shown strong hydrogen production when magnesium alloys and graphite are conditioned together into such cement pastes. Corrosion patterns, observed and analyzed by SEM/EDS, at the metal-binder interfaces, reveal important corrosion products layers as well as bubbles and cracks in the binder. Attempts to reduce corrosion by lowering water to cement ratio have been performed. W/C ratios as low as 0.2 have been tested but galvanic corrosion is not significantly reduced at early age when compared to a common ratio of 0.4. Best results were obtained by the use of laboratory synthesized tricalcium silicate (C 3 S) with an ordinary W/C ratio of 0.4 and also with white Portland clinker ground without additives such as gypsum and grinding agent. (authors)

Radiation creep of graphite. An introduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blackstone, R [Commission of the European Communities, Petten (Netherlands). Joint Nuclear Research Center

1977-03-01

Graphite, a class of materials with many unique and unusual properties, shows a remarkably high creep ductility under irradiation. As this behaviour compensates to some extent some of the more worrying radiation effects, such as dimensional changes and their strong temperature dependence, it is a property of large technological interest. There are various ways of observing and measuring in-pile creep of graphite, varying in degree of sophistication and in cost, in accuracy and in the type of data that is generated. This paper attempts to review briefly the various experimental methods, and the knowledge generated so far. An indication is given of the areas in which further knowledge is wanted.

Radiation creep of graphite. An introduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackstone, R.

1977-01-01

Graphite, a class of materials with many unique and unusual properties, shows a remarkably high creep ductility under irradiation. As this behavior compensates to some extent some of the more worrying radiation effects, such as dimensional changes and their strong temperature dependence, it is a property of large technological interest. There are various ways of observing and measuring in-pile creep of graphite, varying in degree of sophistication and in cost, in accuracy and in the type of data that is generated. This paper attempts to review briefly the various experimental methods, and the knowledge generated so far. An indication is given of the areas in which further knowledge is wanted

Using graphitic foam as the bonding material in metal fuel pins for sodium fast reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karahan, Aydın; Kazimi, Mujid S.

2013-01-01

The study evaluates the possible use of graphite foam as the bonding material between U–Pu–Zr metallic fuel and steel clad for sodium fast reactor applications using FEAST-METAL fuel performance code. Furthermore, the applicability of FEAST-METAL to the advanced fuel designs is demonstrated. Replacing the sodium bond with a chemically stable foam material would eliminate fuel clad metallurgical interactions, and allow for fuel swelling under low external stress. Hence, a significant improvement is expected for the steady state and transient performance. FEAST-METAL was used to assess the thermo-mechanical behavior of the new fuel form and a reference metallic fuel pin. Nearly unity conversion ratio, 75% smear density U–15Pu–6Zr metallic fuel pin with sodium bond, and T91 cladding was selected as a reference case. It was found that operating the reference case at high clad temperatures (600–660 °C) results in (1) excessive clad wastage formation/clad thinning due to lanthanide migration and formation of brittle phases at clad inner surface, and (2) excessive clad hoop strain at the upper axial section due mainly to the occurrence of thermal creep. The combination of these two factors may lead to cladding breach. The work concludes that replacing the sodium bond with 80% porous graphite foam and reducing the fuel smear density to 70%, it is likely that the fuel clad metallurgical interaction would be eliminated while the fuel swelling is allowed without excessive fuel clad mechanical interaction. The suggested design appears as an alternative for a high performance metallic fuel design for sodium fast reactors

Using graphitic foam as the bonding material in metal fuel pins for sodium fast reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Karahan, Aydın, E-mail: karahan@alum.mit.edu; Kazimi, Mujid S.

2013-10-15

The study evaluates the possible use of graphite foam as the bonding material between U–Pu–Zr metallic fuel and steel clad for sodium fast reactor applications using FEAST-METAL fuel performance code. Furthermore, the applicability of FEAST-METAL to the advanced fuel designs is demonstrated. Replacing the sodium bond with a chemically stable foam material would eliminate fuel clad metallurgical interactions, and allow for fuel swelling under low external stress. Hence, a significant improvement is expected for the steady state and transient performance. FEAST-METAL was used to assess the thermo-mechanical behavior of the new fuel form and a reference metallic fuel pin. Nearly unity conversion ratio, 75% smear density U–15Pu–6Zr metallic fuel pin with sodium bond, and T91 cladding was selected as a reference case. It was found that operating the reference case at high clad temperatures (600–660 °C) results in (1) excessive clad wastage formation/clad thinning due to lanthanide migration and formation of brittle phases at clad inner surface, and (2) excessive clad hoop strain at the upper axial section due mainly to the occurrence of thermal creep. The combination of these two factors may lead to cladding breach. The work concludes that replacing the sodium bond with 80% porous graphite foam and reducing the fuel smear density to 70%, it is likely that the fuel clad metallurgical interaction would be eliminated while the fuel swelling is allowed without excessive fuel clad mechanical interaction. The suggested design appears as an alternative for a high performance metallic fuel design for sodium fast reactors.

Improved techniques for the ultrasonic characterization of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, K.V.; Simpson, W.A.

1981-01-01

Near-conventional pulse-echo flaw detection techniques can be successfully applied to graphite material. If the specimen configuration (i.e., length-to-diameter ratio) is conducive to the choice of ultrasonic test parameters dictated by the material screening tests, then only the test sensitivity needs to be established. Conventional test block approaches to calibration work well; however, uniform homogeneity of the specimens to be tested must be assumed (depending on the graphite, this may be an invalid assumption). Sensitivities that we have demonstrated typically detect 0.5- to 0.75-mm (0.020 to 0.030-in.) reflectors at depths up to 102 mm (4 in.) for GRAPHNOL (drilled holes, not flat bottom). Other materials may dictate inspection for much larger discontinuities. The least sensitive tests performed to date (using the storage oscilloscope approach) required flat-bottom holes of 6.35 mm (0.250 in.) in diameter for calibration. This relatively insensitive test was necessary because of the billet length and material characteristics

Effect of Residence Time of Graphitisation on Thermal Conductivity of Molded Graphite

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedy Artsanti

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The effect of residence time of graphitisation on thermal conductivity of molded graphite has been examined. The examination has been conducted by varying residence time of graphitisation of molded carbon with petroleum coke as raw material and coal tar pitch. Graphitisation has been conducted by heating molded graphite at 2500 °C in argon atmosphere with residention time of 10, 30 and 90 minutes. Graphitisation degree, density, shrinking mass and porosity of molded graphite were examined and so was its thermal conductivity. The result showed that the decrease of porosity and the increase of graphitisation degree due to the increasing of residention time of graphitisation will increase the thermal conductivity of graphite. Molded graphite graphitisized with residence time for 90 minutes residention time gave thermal conductivity of 2.134 Watt/mK and graphitization degree 0.718.

Production of nuclear graphite in France; Production de graphite nucleaire en France

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Legendre, P; Mondet, L [Societe Pechiney, 74 - Chedde (France); Arragon, Ph; Cornuault, P; Gueron, J; Hering, H [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1955-07-01

The graphite intended for the construction of the reactors is obtained by the usual process: confection of a cake from coke of oil and tar, cooked (in a electric oven) then the product of cook is graphitized, also by electric heating. The use of the air transportation and the control of conditions cooking and graphitization have permitted to increase the nuclear graphite production as well as to better control their physical and mechanical properties and to reduce to the minimum the unwanted stains. (M.B.) [French] Le graphite destine a la construction des reacteurs est obtenu par le procede usuel: confection d'une pate a partir de coke de petrole et de brai, cuisson de cette pate (au four electrique) puis graphitation du produit cuit, egalement par chauffage electrique. L'usage du transport pneumatique et le controle des conditions cuisson et de graphitation ont permit d'augmenter la production de graphite nucleaire ainsi que de mieux controler ses proprietes physiques et mecaniques et de reduire au minimum les souillures accidentelles. (M.B.)

Thermophysical properties and microstructure of graphite flake/copper composites processed by electroless copper coating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Qian; He, Xin-Bo; Ren, Shu-Bin; Zhang, Chen; Ting-Ting, Liu; Qu, Xuan-Hui

2014-01-01

Highlights: • GF–copper composites were fabricated using a sparking plasma sintering, which involves coating GF with copper, using electroless plating technique. • The oriented graphite flake distributed homogeneously in matrix. • With the increase of flake graphite from 44 to 71 vol.%, the basal plane thermal conductivity of composites increases from 445 to 565 W m −1 K −1 and the thermal expansion of composites decreases from 8.1 to 5.0. • The obtained composites are suitable for electronic packaging materials. -- Abstract: This study focuses on the fabrication of thermal management material for power electronics applications using graphite flake reinforced copper composites. The manufacturing route involved electroless plating of copper on the graphite flake and further spark plasma sintering of composite powders. The relative density of the composites with 44–71 vol.% flakes achieved up to 98%. Measured thermal conductivities and coefficients of thermal expansion of composites ranged from 455–565 W m −1 K −1 and 8 to 5 ppm K −1 , respectively. Obtained graphite flake–copper composites exhibit excellent thermophysical properties to meet the heat dispersion and matching requirements of power electronic devices to the packaging materials

Highly Graphitic Carbon Nanofibers Web as a Cathode Material for Lithium Oxygen Batteries

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Hyungkyu Han

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The lithium oxygen battery is a promising energy storage system due to its high theoretical energy density and ability to use oxygen from air as a “fuel”. Although various carbonaceous materials have been widely used as a cathode material due to their high electronic conductivity and facial processability, previous studies mainly focused on the electrochemical properties associated with the materials (such as graphene and carbon nanotubes and the electrode configuration. Recent reports demonstrated that the polarization associated with cycling could be significantly increased by lithium carbonates generated from the reaction between the carbon cathode and an electrolyte, which indicates that the physicochemical properties of the carbon cathode could play an important role on the electrochemical performances. However, there is no systematic study to understand these phenomena. Here, we systematically explore the electrochemical properties of carbon nanofibers (CNF webs with different graphitization degree as a cathode for Li oxygen batteries. The physicochemical properties and electrochemical properties of CNF webs were carefully monitored before and after cycling. CNF webs are prepared at 1000, 1200 and 1400 °C. CNF web pyrolyzed at 1400 °C shows lowered polarization and improved cycle retention compared to those of CNF webs pyrolyzed at 1000 and 1200 °C.

Thermal shock test of TiC and graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shirakawa, H.; Okamura, J.; Son, P.; Miyake, M.

1989-01-01

Thermal shock tests were performed by pulse electron beam heating on chemically vapor deposited coatings of TiC on Poco graphite, bulk TiC, and several kinds of isotropic graphite. The specimens were heated at various power densities (10-45 MW/m 2 ) for various pulse durations (1-2 s) to examine the dependence of thermal failures on heating conditions. The TiC coating on graphite suffered cracking, surface melting and evaporation by the thermal pulse. The surface melting limit, defined as F τ 1/2 , where F is the minimum power density that causes surface melting for a specified pulse duration τ, was approximately 48 MWs 1/2 /m 2 for the TiC coating. The combined-Carbon/Titanium ratio of the coating after electron beam heating decreased with increasing power density and pulse duration. The bulk TiC specimens were so brittle that they fractured at heat load conditions where the coating showed no damage. The graphite specimens showed sublimation as a principal damage mechanism by the thermal pulse, and the sublimation weight loss decreased with increasing the thermal conductivity of the specimen. It was confirmed that the TiC coating on graphite had favorable resistance to thermal shock as compared to the bulk TiC and that graphite with high thermal conductivity is promising material as a high heat flux component. (orig.)

An experimental and theoretical approach on the effect of presence of oxygen in milled graphite as lithium storage material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robledo, C.B.; Thomas, J.E.; Luque, G.; Leiva, E.P.M.; Cámara, O.; Barraco, D.; Visintin, A.

2014-01-01

The effect of milling time on the morphology of graphite is characterized by XRD, SEM, BET, FTIR and XPS and the electrochemical response of the resulting materials upon lithium-ion absorption is analyzed using different techniques. As milling time is increased, the particle size diminishes and the amount of oxygen content increases. Concomitantly, the capacity for lithium adsorption also increases because new adsorption sites become available due to more surface area and oxygen functional groups. These effects are interpreted using first-principles calculations, which show that the presence of oxygenated species promotes lithium adsorption at higher potentials. This capacity increase is probably not relevant for lithium-ion batteries since there is no intercalation process but rather an adsorption one, but may be of interest for supercapacitive applications. Diffusion coefficients of lithium for different graphite particle sizes are evaluated. The effects of diffusion, particle size and oxygen content are discussed

Tunable Graphitic Carbon Nano-Onions Development in Carbon Nanofibers for Multivalent Energy Storage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwarz, Haiqing L. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-01-01

We developed a novel porous graphitic carbon nanofiber material using a synthesis strategy combining electrospinning and catalytic graphitization. RF hydrogel was used as carbon precursors, transition metal ions were successfully introduced into the carbon matrix by binding to the carboxylate groups of a resorcinol derivative. Transition metal particles were homogeneously distributed throughout the carbon matrix, which are used as in-situ catalysts to produce graphitic fullerene-like nanostructures surrounding the metals. The success design of graphitic carbons with enlarged interlayer spacing will enable the multivalent ion intercalation for the development of multivalent rechargeable batteries.

Studies on design principles and criteria of fuels and graphites for experimental multi-purpose very high temperature reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, Taketoshi; Sato, Sadao; Tani, Yutaro

1977-12-01

Design principles and criteria of fuels and graphites have been studied to determine the main design parameters of a reference core MARK-III of the Experimental Multi-purpose Very High Temperature Reactor. The present status of research and development for HTGR fuels and graphites is reviewed from a standpoint of their integrity and safety aspects, and is compared to the specific design requirements for the VHTR fuels and graphites. Consequently, reasonable materials specifications, safety criteria and design analysis methods are presented for coated fuel particle, fuel compact, graphite sleeve, core support graphite and neutron absorber material. These design principles and criteria will be refined by further experimental investigations. (auth.)

Thermomechanical behavior of graphite and coating materials subjected to a high heat flux

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ioki, K.; Yamada, M.; Nishikawa, M.; Uchikawa, T.; Onozuka, M.; Yamao, H.

1987-01-01

This study has been performed for the development of limiter and divertor plates. Their thermal and thermomechanical behavior were examined in heat load experiments with an electron beam facility, and were compared with analysis results. Graphite was proven to have a high thermal shock resistance. Its erosion thickness and thermal contact conductance were also studied. Copper alloy with coating and graphite brazed to metal were tested, and their feasibility was demonstrated for use as limiter and divertor plates of an advanced-type concept. (orig.)

Natural graphite demand and supply - Implications for electric vehicle battery requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, Donald W.; Virta, Robert L.; Mahdavi, Mahbood; Sangine, Elizabeth S.; Fortier, Steven M.

2016-01-01

Electric vehicles have been promoted to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and lessen U.S. dependence on petroleum for transportation. Growth in U.S. sales of electric vehicles has been hindered by technical difficulties and the high cost of the lithium-ion batteries used to power many electric vehicles (more than 50% of the vehicle cost). Groundbreaking has begun for a lithium-ion battery factory in Nevada that, at capacity, could manufacture enough batteries to power 500,000 electric vehicles of various types and provide economies of scale to reduce the cost of batteries. Currently, primary synthetic graphite derived from petroleum coke is used in the anode of most lithium-ion batteries. An alternate may be the use of natural flake graphite, which would result in estimated graphite cost reductions of more than US$400 per vehicle at 2013 prices. Most natural flake graphite is sourced from China, the world's leading graphite producer. Sourcing natural flake graphite from deposits in North America could reduce raw material transportation costs and, given China's growing internal demand for flake graphite for its industries and ongoing environmental, labor, and mining issues, may ensure a more reliable and environmentally conscious supply of graphite. North America has flake graphite resources, and Canada is currently a producer, but most new mining projects in the United States require more than 10 yr to reach production, and demand could exceed supplies of flake graphite. Natural flake graphite may serve only to supplement synthetic graphite, at least for the short-term outlook.

Chemically reduced graphene contains inherent metallic impurities present in parent natural and synthetic graphite

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrosi, Adriano; Chua, Chun Kiang; Khezri, Bahareh; Sofer, Zdeněk; Webster, Richard D.; Pumera, Martin

2012-01-01

Graphene-related materials are in the forefront of nanomaterial research. One of the most common ways to prepare graphenes is to oxidize graphite (natural or synthetic) to graphite oxide and exfoliate it to graphene oxide with consequent chemical reduction to chemically reduced graphene. Here, we show that both natural and synthetic graphite contain a large amount of metallic impurities that persist in the samples of graphite oxide after the oxidative treatment, and chemically reduced graphene after the chemical reduction. We demonstrate that, despite a substantial elimination during the oxidative treatment of graphite samples, a significant amount of impurities associated to the chemically reduced graphene materials still remain and alter their electrochemical properties dramatically. We propose a method for the purification of graphenes based on thermal treatment at 1,000 °C in chlorine atmosphere to reduce the effect of such impurities on the electrochemical properties. Our findings have important implications on the whole field of graphene research. PMID:22826262

Chemically reduced graphene contains inherent metallic impurities present in parent natural and synthetic graphite.

Science.gov (United States)

Ambrosi, Adriano; Chua, Chun Kiang; Khezri, Bahareh; Sofer, Zdeněk; Webster, Richard D; Pumera, Martin

2012-08-07

Graphene-related materials are in the forefront of nanomaterial research. One of the most common ways to prepare graphenes is to oxidize graphite (natural or synthetic) to graphite oxide and exfoliate it to graphene oxide with consequent chemical reduction to chemically reduced graphene. Here, we show that both natural and synthetic graphite contain a large amount of metallic impurities that persist in the samples of graphite oxide after the oxidative treatment, and chemically reduced graphene after the chemical reduction. We demonstrate that, despite a substantial elimination during the oxidative treatment of graphite samples, a significant amount of impurities associated to the chemically reduced graphene materials still remain and alter their electrochemical properties dramatically. We propose a method for the purification of graphenes based on thermal treatment at 1,000 °C in chlorine atmosphere to reduce the effect of such impurities on the electrochemical properties. Our findings have important implications on the whole field of graphene research.

A study of the coefficient of thermal expansion of nuclear graphites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hacker, P.J.

2001-02-01

This thesis presents the results of a study of the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of two grades of nuclear graphite that are used as the moderator in the Magnox and Advanced Gas-Cooled reactors operated in the UK. This work has two main aims, the first is to characterise those elements of the graphite microstructure that control CTE within these materials and to relate these to the effects induced within the reactor. The second is to develop a microstructural model, of general applicability, that can initially be applied to model the CTE changes within the graphites under reactor conditions (neutron irradiation and radiolytic oxidation). These aims have been met by study in three interlinked areas, theoretical, experimental and modelling. Previous to this study, a loose assembly of single crystals together with changes in small scale nanometric porosity (Mrozowski cracks) were used to describe CTE behaviour of nuclear graphite both as-received and under reactor conditions. Within the experimental part of this thesis the graphite nanostructure was studied using, primarily, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). This work concluded that structure on this scale was complex and that the loose assembly of single crystals was a poor microstructural approximation for modelling the CTE of these materials. Other experimental programmes measured the CTE of highly oxidised samples and simulated the effects of irradiation. The former discovered that CTE remained largely unaffected to high weight losses. This insensitivity was explained by ''The Continuous Network Hypothesis'' that was also related to classical percolation theory. The final part of the thesis modelled an abstraction of the key microstructural features identified in the previous parts of the thesis. This approach has been applied to AGR moderator graphite where it has successfully modelled the thermal expansion behaviour of the as-received, irradiated and oxidised material. (author)

Method of producing exfoliated graphite composite compositions for fuel cell flow field plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhamu, Aruna; Shi, Jinjun; Guo, Jiusheng; Jang, Bor Z

2014-04-08

A method of producing an electrically conductive composite composition, which is particularly useful for fuel cell bipolar plate applications. The method comprises: (a) providing a supply of expandable graphite powder; (b) providing a supply of a non-expandable powder component comprising a binder or matrix material; (c) blending the expandable graphite with the non-expandable powder component to form a powder mixture wherein the non-expandable powder component is in the amount of between 3% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of the powder mixture; (d) exposing the powder mixture to a temperature sufficient for exfoliating the expandable graphite to obtain a compressible mixture comprising expanded graphite worms and the non-expandable component; (e) compressing the compressible mixture at a pressure within the range of from about 5 psi to about 50,000 psi in predetermined directions into predetermined forms of cohered graphite composite compact; and (f) treating the so-formed cohered graphite composite to activate the binder or matrix material thereby promoting adhesion within the compact to produce the desired composite composition. Preferably, the non-expandable powder component further comprises an isotropy-promoting agent such as non-expandable graphite particles. Further preferably, step (e) comprises compressing the mixture in at least two directions. The method leads to composite plates with exceptionally high thickness-direction electrical conductivity.

The Formation of Graphite Whiskers in the Primitive Solar Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

Nuth, Joseph A., III; Kimura, Yuki; Lucas, Christopher; Ferguson, Frank; Johnson, Natasha M.

2010-01-01

It has been suggested that carbonaceous grains are efficiently destroyed in the interstellar medium and must either reform in situ at very low pressures and temperatures or in an alternative environment more conducive to grain growth. Graphite whiskers have been discovered associated with high-temperature phases in meteorites such as calcium aluminum inclusions and chondrules, and it has been suggested that the expulsion of such material from proto stellar nebulae could significantly affect the optical properties of the average interstellar grain population. We have experimentally studied the potential for Fischer-Tropsch and Haber-Bosch type reactions to produce organic materials in protostellar systems from the abundant H2, CO, and N2 reacting on the surfaces of available silicate grains. When graphite grains are repeatedly exposed to H2, CO, and N2 at 875 K abundant graphite whiskers are observed to form on or from the surfaces of the graphite grains. In a dense, turbulent nebula, such extended whiskers are very likely to be broken off, and fragments could be ejected either in polar jets or by photon pressure after transport to the outer reaches of the nebula.

Curling and closure of graphitic networks under electron-beam irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ugarte, D [Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne (Switzerland)

1992-10-22

The discovery of buckminsterfullerene (C[sub 60]) and its production in macroscopic quantities has stimulated a great deal of research. More recently, attention has turned towards other curved graphitic networks, such as the giant fullerenes (C[sub n], n > 100) and carbon nanotubes. A general mechanism has been proposed in which the graphitic sheets bend in an attempt to eliminate the highly energetic dangling bonds present at the edge of the growing structure. Here, I report the response of carbon soot particles and tubular graphitic structures to intense electron-beam irradiation in a high-resolution electron microscope; such conditions resemble a high-temperature regime, permitting a degree of structural fluidity. With increased irradiation, there is a gradual reorganization of the initial material into quasi-spherical particles composed of concentric graphitic shells. This lends weight to the nucleation scheme proposed for fullerenes, and moreover, suggests that planar graphite may not be the most stable allotrope of carbon in systems of limited size. (Author).

Aluminum-graphite composite produced by mechanical milling and hot extrusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flores-Zamora, M.I.; Estrada-Guel, I.; Gonzalez-Hernandez, J.; Miki-Yoshida, M.; Martinez-Sanchez, R.

2007-01-01

Aluminum-graphite composites were produced by mechanical milling followed by hot extrusion. Graphite content was varied between 0 and 1 wt.%. Al-graphite mixtures were initially mixed in a shaker mill without ball, followed by mechanical milling in a High-energy simoloyer mill for 2 h under argon atmosphere. Milled powders were subsequently pressed at ∼950 MPa for 2 min, and next sintered under vacuum for 3 h at 823 K. Finally, sintered products were held for 0.5 h at 823 K and hot extruded using indirect extrusion. Tension and compression tests were carried out to determine the yield stress and maximum stress of the materials. We found that the mechanical resistance increased as the graphite content increased. Microstructural characterization was done by transmission electron microscopy. Al-O-C nanofibers and graphite nanoparticles were observed in extruded samples by transmission electron microscopy. These nanoparticles and nanofibers seemed to be responsible of the reinforcement phenomenon

Laminated exfoliated graphite composite-metal compositions for fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhamu, Aruna; Shi, Jinjun; Guo, Jiusheng; Jang, Bor Z

2014-05-20

An electrically conductive laminate composition for fuel cell flow field plate or bipolar plate applications. The laminate composition comprises at least a thin metal sheet having two opposed exterior surfaces and a first exfoliated graphite composite sheet bonded to the first of the two exterior surfaces of the metal sheet wherein the exfoliated graphite composite sheet comprises: (a) expanded or exfoliated graphite and (b) a binder or matrix material to bond the expanded graphite for forming a cohered sheet, wherein the binder or matrix material is between 3% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of the first exfoliated graphite composite sheet. Preferably, the first exfoliated graphite composite sheet further comprises particles of non-expandable graphite or carbon in the amount of between 3% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of the non-expandable particles and the expanded graphite. Further preferably, the laminate comprises a second exfoliated graphite composite sheet bonded to the second surface of the metal sheet to form a three-layer laminate. Surface flow channels and other desired geometric features can be built onto the exterior surfaces of the laminate to form a flow field plate or bipolar plate. The resulting laminate has an exceptionally high thickness-direction conductivity and excellent resistance to gas permeation.

Molecular dynamics simulations of shock compressed heterogeneous materials. II. The graphite/diamond transition case for astrophysics applications

Science.gov (United States)

Pineau, N.; Soulard, L.; Colombet, L.; Carrard, T.; Pellé, A.; Gillet, Ph.; Clérouin, J.

2015-03-01

We present a series of molecular dynamics simulations of the shock compression of copper matrices containing a single graphite inclusion: these model systems can be related to some specific carbon-rich rocks which, after a meteoritic impact, are found to contain small fractions of nanodiamonds embedded in graphite in the vicinity of high impedance minerals. We show that the graphite to diamond transformation occurs readily for nanometer-sized graphite inclusions, via a shock accumulation process, provided the pressure threshold of the bulk graphite/diamond transition is overcome, independently of the shape or size of the inclusion. Although high diamond yields (˜80%) are found after a few picoseconds in all cases, the transition is non-isotropic and depends substantially on the relative orientation of the graphite stack with respect to the shock propagation, leading to distinct nucleation processes and size-distributions of the diamond grains. A substantial regraphitization process occurs upon release and only inclusions with favorable orientations likely lead to the preservation of a fraction of this diamond phase. These results agree qualitatively well with the recent experimental observations of meteoritic impact samples.

Design development of graphite primary structures enables SSTO success

Science.gov (United States)

Biagiotti, V. A.; Yahiro, J. S.; Suh, Daniel E.; Hodges, Eric R.; Prior, Donald J.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the development of a graphite composite wing and a graphite composite intertank primary structure for application toward Single-Stage to Orbit space vehicles such as those under development in NASA's X-33/Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program. The trade study and designs are based on a Rockwell vertical take-off and horizontal landing (VTHL) wing-body RLV vehicle. Northrop Grumman's approach using a building block development technique is described. Composite Graphite/Bismaleimide (Gr/BMI) material characterization test results are presented. Unique intertank and wing composite subcomponent test article designs are described and test results to date are presented. Wing and intertank Full Scale Section Test Article (FSTA) objectives and designs are outlined. Trade studies, supporting building block testing, and FSTA demonstrations combine to develop graphite primary structure composite technology that enables developing X-33/RLV design programs to meet critical SSTO structural weight and operations performance criteria.

On estimating the fracture probability of nuclear graphite components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasan, Makuteswara

2008-01-01

The properties of nuclear grade graphites exhibit anisotropy and could vary considerably within a manufactured block. Graphite strength is affected by the direction of alignment of the constituent coke particles, which is dictated by the forming method, coke particle size, and the size, shape, and orientation distribution of pores in the structure. In this paper, a Weibull failure probability analysis for components is presented using the American Society of Testing Materials strength specification for nuclear grade graphites for core components in advanced high-temperature gas-cooled reactors. The risk of rupture (probability of fracture) and survival probability (reliability) of large graphite blocks are calculated for varying and discrete values of service tensile stresses. The limitations in these calculations are discussed from considerations of actual reactor environmental conditions that could potentially degrade the specification properties because of damage due to complex interactions between irradiation, temperature, stress, and variability in reactor operation

Shape Modification and Size Classification of Microcrystalline Graphite Powder as Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Cong; Gai, Guosheng; Yang, Yufen

2018-03-01

Natural microcrystalline graphite (MCG) composed of many crystallites is a promising new anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) and has received considerable attention from researchers. MCG with narrow particle size distribution and high sphericity exhibits excellent electrochemical performance. A nonaddition process to prepare natural MCG as a high-performance LiB anode material is described. First, raw MCG was broken into smaller particles using a pulverization system. Then, the particles were modified into near-spherical shape using a particle shape modification system. Finally, the particle size distribution was narrowed using a centrifugal rotor classification system. The products with uniform hemispherical shape and narrow size distribution had mean particle size of approximately 9 μm, 10 μm, 15 μm, and 20 μm. Additionally, the innovative pilot experimental process increased the product yield of the raw material. Finally, the electrochemical performance of the prepared MCG was tested, revealing high reversible capacity and good cyclability.

A nano-graphite cold cathode for an energy-efficient cathodoluminescent light source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander N. Obraztsov

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The development of new types of light sources is necessary in order to meet the growing demands of consumers and to ensure an efficient use of energy. The cathodoluminescence process is still under-exploited for light generation because of the lack of cathodes suitable for the energy-efficient production of electron beams and appropriate phosphor materials. In this paper we propose a nano-graphite film material as a highly efficient cold cathode, which is able to produce high intensity electron beams without energy consumption. The nano-graphite film material was produced by using chemical vapor deposition techniques. Prototypes of cathodoluminescent lamp devices with a construction optimized for the usage of nano-graphite cold cathodes were developed, manufactured and tested. The results indicate prospective advantages of this type of lamp and the possibility to provide advanced power efficiency as well as enhanced spectral and other characteristics.

High thermoelectric performance of graphite nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Van-Truong; Saint-Martin, Jérôme; Dollfus, Philippe; Volz, Sebastian

2018-02-22

Graphite nanofibers (GNFs) have been demonstrated to be a promising material for hydrogen storage and heat management in electronic devices. Here, by means of first-principles and transport simulations, we show that GNFs can also be an excellent material for thermoelectric applications thanks to the interlayer weak van der Waals interaction that induces low thermal conductance and a step-like shape in the electronic transmission with mini-gaps, which are necessary ingredients to achieve high thermoelectric performance. This study unveils that the platelet form of GNFs in which graphite layers are perpendicular to the fiber axis can exhibit outstanding thermoelectric properties with a figure of merit ZT reaching 3.55 in a 0.5 nm diameter fiber and 1.1 in a 1.1 nm diameter one. Interestingly, by introducing 14 C isotope doping, ZT can even be enhanced up to more than 5, and more than 8 if we include the effect of finite phonon mean free path, which demonstrates the amazing thermoelectric potential of GNFs.

Direct growth of self-crystallized graphene and graphite nanoballs with Ni vapor-assisted growth: from controllable growth to material characterization.

Science.gov (United States)

Yen, Wen-Chun; Chen, Yu-Ze; Yeh, Chao-Hui; He, Jr-Hau; Chiu, Po-Wen; Chueh, Yu-Lun

2014-05-09

A directly self-crystallized graphene layer with transfer-free process on arbitrary insulator by Ni vapor-assisted growth at growth temperatures between 950 to 1100 °C via conventional chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system was developed and demonstrated. Domain sizes of graphene were confirmed by Raman spectra from ~12 nm at growth temperature of 1000 °C to ~32 nm at growth temperature of 1100 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the thickness of the graphene is controllable, depending on deposition time and growth temperature. By increasing growth pressure, the growth of graphite nano-balls was preferred rather than graphene growth. The detailed formation mechanisms of graphene and graphite nanoballs were proposed and investigated in detail. Optical and electrical properties of graphene layer were measured. The direct growth of the carbon-based materials with free of the transfer process provides a promising application at nanoelectronics.

Graphitic Carbon Foam Structural Cores and Multifunctional Applications

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Graphitic carbon foams include a family of material forms and products with mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties that are tailor-able over a wide range....

Optical properties of NbCl5 and ZnMg intercalated graphite compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Eilho; Lee, Seokbae; Roh, Seulki; Kang, Jihoon; Park, Tuson; Hwang, Jungseek; Meng, Xiuqing; Tongay, Sefaattin

2014-01-01

We studied NbCl 5 and ZnMg alloy intercalated graphite compounds using an optical spectroscopy technique. These intercalated metallic graphite samples were quite challenging to obtain optical reflectance spectra since they were not flat and quite thin. By using both a new method and an in situ gold evaporation technique we were able to obtain reliable reflectance spectra of our samples in the far and mid infrared range (80–7000 cm −1 ). We extracted the optical constants including the optical conductivity and the dielectric function from the measured reflectance spectra using a Kramers–Kronig analysis. We also extracted the dc conductivity and the plasma frequencies from the optical conductivity and dielectric functions. NbCl 5 intercalated graphite samples show similar optical conductivity spectra as bare highly oriented pyrolytic graphite even though there are some differences in detail. ZnMg intercalated samples show significantly different optical conductivity spectra from the bare graphite. Optical spectroscopy is one of the most reliable experimental techniques to obtain the electronic band structures of materials. The obtained optical conductivities support the recent theoretically calculated electronic band structures of NbCl 5 and ZnMg intercalated graphite compounds. Our results also provide important information of electronic structures and charge carrier properties of these two new intercalated materials for applications. (paper)

A High Performance Lithium-Ion Capacitor with Both Electrodes Prepared from Sri Lanka Graphite Ore.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Xiaoyu; Zhan, Changzhen; Yu, Xiaoliang; Liang, Qinghua; Lv, Ruitao; Gai, Guosheng; Shen, Wanci; Kang, Feiyu; Huang, Zheng-Hong

2017-04-14

The natural Sri Lanka graphite (vein graphite) is widely-used as anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), due to its high crystallinity and low cost. In this work, graphitic porous carbon (GPC) and high-purity vein graphite (PVG) were prepared from Sri Lanka graphite ore by KOH activation, and high temperature purification, respectively. Furthermore, a lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) is fabricated with GPC as cathode, and PVG as anode. The assembled GPC//PVG LIC shows a notable electrochemical performance with a maximum energy density of 86 W·h·kg -1 at 150 W·kg -1 , and 48 W·h·kg -1 at a high-power density of 7.4 kW·kg -1 . This high-performance LIC based on PVG and GPC is believed to be promising for practical applications, due to its low-cost raw materials and industrially feasible production.

Enhanced performance of Li-O2 battery based on CFx/C composites as cathode materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Chaolumen; Wang, Haibin; Liao, Chenbo; Yang, Jun; Li, Lei

2015-01-01

A hybrid air-electrode composed of a mixture of fluorinated carbon (CF x ) and Ketjen black (KB) active carbon composite materials was prepared to improve performance of Li-O 2 battery. In the hybrid air-electrodes, four kinds of CF x materials including fluorinated graphite, fluorinated carbon fiber, fluorinated coke and fluorinated black carbon were utilized as lithium insertion materials. The physical properties and morphologies of the KB and CF x carbon materials were characterized by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. Compared with the conventional KB air-electrode, all the CF x /KB hybrid air-electrodes in Li-O 2 batteries showed higher specific discharge capacity, especially at high current density. Among these CF x /KB hybrid air-electrodes, the fluorinated graphite based electrode showed the best electrochemical performance in Li-O 2 battery due to its highest discharge capacity of the fluorinated graphite material in the Li/CF x primary battery, highest specific surface area, and highest total pore volume. The electrochemical performance of Li-O 2 and Li-air batteries using the hybrid air-electrodes with the different fluorinated graphite: KB weight ratio, including specific charge and discharge capacity, cycling stability and rate capability were systematically investigated. At a current density of 0.5 mA cm −2 , the fluorinated graphite based air-electrode delivered a high specific discharge capacity of 1138 mAh g −1 in Li-O 2 batteries, which was more than four times than that of the conventional KB air-electrode (265 mAh g −1 ) under same testing conditions. The battery assembled with the fluorinated graphite based air-electrode exhibited better cycling stability than that of the battery assembled with the conventional KB air-electrode.

Fabrication of graphene device from graphite intercalation compound

Science.gov (United States)

Yagi, Ryuta; Kobara, Hiroaki; Shimomura, Midori; Tahara, Fumiya; Fukada, Seiya

2012-02-01

The mechanical exfoliation of graphite is possibly the simplest and practical method in laboratories to obtain graphene flakes for scientific research. However efficiency for obtaining graphene, with desired layer-number and size, depends largely on crystal specific characters, eg., dislocations. To improve the issue, we have adopted graphite intercalation compound (GIC) instead of graphite for a starting material. Generally, GIC is chemically active. We used SbCl5- GIC, which is stable in the atmosphere. Stage structure of SbCl5-GIC could be tuned by temperature of intercalation. We found that considerable number of undoped graphene flakes coexisted with thin SbCl5-GIC flakes, on a substrate where flakes were transferred.?Statistical inspection of number of graphene layer indicated that it is significantly dependent on the stage number of GIC.

Source Term Analysis of the Irradiated Graphite in the Core of HTR-10

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuegang Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR has potential utilization due to its featured characteristics such as inherent safety and wide diversity of utilization. One distinct difference between HTGR and traditional pressurized water reactor (PWR is the large inventory of graphite in the core acting as reflector, moderator, or structure materials. Some radionuclides will be generated in graphite during the period of irradiation, which play significant roles in reactor safety, environmental release, waste disposal, and so forth. Based on the actual operation of the 10 MW pebble bed high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR-10 in Tsinghua University, China, an experimental study on source term analysis of the irradiated graphite has been done. An irradiated graphite sphere was randomly collected from the core of HTR-10 as sample in this study. This paper focuses on the analytical procedure and the establishment of the analytical methodology, including the sample collection, graphite sample preparation, and analytical parameters. The results reveal that the Co-60, Cs-137, Eu-152, and Eu-154 are the major γ contributors, while H-3 and C-14 are the dominating β emitting nuclides in postirradiation graphite material of HTR-10. The distribution profiles of the above four nuclides are also presented.