Machining Problems with Uranium and some of the Refractory Metals

THE USE OF URANIUM as a nuclear fuel has posed a variety of fabricating problems, and among these has been the machining of suitable components. For structural or fuel “canning” purposes only a limited number of metals are suitable from a compatibility and nuclear property point of view and include Niobium, Vanadium, Zirconium and Beryllium. These form part of the refractory metal group well known for the difficulties associated with extraction, purification and fabrication.