[en] A crucible was designed, fabricated, and evaluated for containment of molten UO₂ in a graphite susceptor furnace as part of a study to develop a means of ultimately melt large quantities of UO₂ to be used in reactor core meltdown simulations. It was shown that the plasma-spray process is an attractive approach to creating the required layered structure with a tungsten density approaching 90% of theoretical; however, the choice of tantalum carbide and the rather high temperature used in the evaluation, 3000⁰C, resulted in excessive carbon diffusion and conversion of both the tungsten and UO₂ to the carbides which fused at temperatures below 3000⁰C. The tantalum carbide formed eutectics with the other carbides, and complete melting of crucible and charge occurred, contained only by the graphite outer crucible layer