The development of fabrication techniques for europia/iron cermet tips for coarse-control arms in DIDO and PLUTO

The applicability of cermet-fabrication techniques to the production of europia/iron cermets for use as coarse-control arm tips in the materials test reactors DIDO and PLUTO has been investigated. Spheroids of europia were prepared by a dry agglomeration process. These were sintered, dispersed in iron powder and pressed into plates; the plates were then sintered to densify the iron matrix. These stages were optimised to produce a strong cermet with a europia density of >= 2.75 g/cm3. The uniformity of distribution of the absorber particles was confirmed by radiography, and adequate neutron-absorption worth by measurements carried out in the GLEEP reactor. An outline flow sheet has been prepared for the manufacture of europia/iron cermet plates suitable for use in the tips of DIDO and PLUTO coarse-control arms. (author)