MODIFIED POLYMER DERIVED CERAMICS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING USING SAME, AND CERAMIC BODIES MANUFACTURED THEREBY
Pre-ceramic particle solutions can prepared by a Coordinated-PDC process, a Direct-PDC process or a Coordinated-Direct-PDC process. The pre-ceramic particle solution includes a polymer selected from the group consisting of (i) an organic polymer including a metal or metalloid cation, (ii) a first organometallic polymer and (iii) a second organometallic polymer including a metal or metalloid cation different from a metal in the second organometallic polymer, a plurality of particles selected from the group consisting of (a) a ceramic fuel particle and (b) a moderator particle, a dispersant, and a polymerization initiator. The pre-ceramic particle solution can be supplied to an additive manufacturing process, such as digital light projection, and made into a structure (which is pre-ceramic particle green body) that can then be debinded to form a polymer-derived ceramic sintered body. In some embodiments, the polymer-derived ceramic sintered body is a component or structure for fission reactors.
1 . A pre-ceramic particle solution, comprising:
an organic polymer made from a monomer selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, an alkyne, and mixtures thereof and having a metal or metalloid cation functional group selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Be, B, U, Hf, Zr, Nb, and Gd and mixtures thereof;
a plurality of fuel particles;
a dispersant; and
a polymerization initiator,
wherein the plurality of fuel particles have a composition including a fissionable material.
2 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Be, U, Nb, and Gd and mixtures thereof.
3 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is U.
4 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is Ti.
5 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is Be.
6 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the fissionable material is uranium oxide, uranium with 10 wt. % molybdenum, or uranium nitride.
7 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the fissionable material is enriched uranium oxide.
8 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of moderator particles having a composition including beryllium or carbon or mixtures thereof.
9 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 1 , wherein the polymerization initiator is a photoinitiator.
10 . The pre-ceramic particle solution according to claim 9 , wherein the photoinitiator is a UV photoinitiator or an EBeam initiated photoinitiator.
11 . A pre-ceramic particle green body, comprising:
a matrix of an organic polymer made from a monomer selected from the group consisting of an alkane, an alkene, an alkyne, and mixtures thereof and having a metal or metalloid cation functional group selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Be, B, U, Hf, Zr, Nb, and Gd and mixtures thereof; and
a plurality of fuel particles,
wherein the plurality of fuel particles are contained within the matrix, and
wherein the plurality of fuel particles have a composition including a fissionable material.
12 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Be, U, Nb, and Gd and mixtures thereof.
13 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is U.
14 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is Ti.
15 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is Be.
16 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , wherein the fissionable material is uranium oxide, uranium with 10 wt. % molybdenum, or uranium nitride.
17 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , wherein the fissionable material is enriched uranium oxide.
18 . A polymer-derived ceramic sintered body formed by debinding the pre-ceramic particle green body of claim 11 ,
wherein the polymer-derived ceramic sintered body includes:
a matrix of sintered metal or metalloid from the organic polymer including the metal or metalloid as a cation functional group; and
the plurality of fuel particles contained within the matrix.
19 . The polymer-derived ceramic sintered body according to claim 18 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is selected from the group consisting of Ti, Be, U, Nb, and Gd and mixtures thereof.
20 . The polymer-derived ceramic sintered body according to claim 18 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is U.
21 . The polymer-derived ceramic sintered body according to claim 18 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is Ti.
22 . The polymer-derived ceramic sintered body according to claim 18 , wherein the metal or metalloid cation is Be.
23 . The polymer-derived ceramic sintered body according to claim 18 , wherein the fissionable material is uranium oxide, uranium with 10 wt. % molybdenum, or uranium nitride.
24 . The polymer-derived ceramic sintered body according to claim 23 , wherein the fissionable material is enriched uranium oxide.
25 . The pre-ceramic particle green body according to claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of moderator particles,
wherein the plurality of moderator particles are contained within the matrix, and
wherein the plurality of moderator particles have a composition including beryllium or carbon or mixtures thereof.
26 . A polymer-derived ceramic sintered body formed by debinding the pre-ceramic particle green body of claim 25 ,
wherein the polymer-derived ceramic sintered body includes:
a matrix of sintered metal or metalloid from the organic polymer including the metal or metalloid as a cation functional group;
the plurality of fuel particles contained within the matrix; and
the plurality of moderator particles contained within the matrix.