The important information in this chapter is summarized below.

Fuel Materials Summary

Radioactive materials suitable for fission by thermal neutrons and used as reactor fuel include:

Considerations in selecting fuel material are:

High thermal conductivity so that high power can be attained without excessive fuel temperature gradients

Resistance to radiation damage so that physical properties are not degraded

Chemical stability with respect to coolant in case of cladding failure Physical and mechanical properties that permit economical fabrication