Production of Zirconium Aluminides by Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis

Abstract

This work presents the possibility of carrying out the SH-synthesis of materials based on intermetallic zirconium-aluminium compounds. This material can be used as the matrix material of dispersion nuclear fuel. As the result of experiments on the synthesis of zirconium aluminide by the SHS-method, the technological features and basic characteristics of physical and chemical processes have been identified. During the synthesis, the temperature distributions along the volume of samples and the impact of synthesis conditions on the phase composition of finished product were analyzed. Also, the optimal parameters for the production of specific phases of zirconium aluminides have been stated. In this paper, a material with a content of intermetallic Al2Zr and Al3Zr of more than 90 percent was obtained.