The goal for a new generation and the future of nuclear power is
in pursuit of inherent safety performance as well as greater economic
benefits. UO2eGd2O3 burnable poison fuel is widely used in
nuclear power reactors in the world, especially reactor cores of
pressurized water reactor (PWR), to control the initial reactivity of
reactors, spread the distribution of core power, increase fuel
burnup and prolong refueling cycle, which thus contribute to the
reduction of nuclear power operation cost and the improvement of
operation safety and reliability [1e6]. Currently the preparation
method of UO2eGd2O3 fuel pellets in nuclear power plants is
similar to that of commercially used UO2 pellets, but it is far more
difficult to prepare UO2eGd2O3 fuel pellets than UO2 pellets. In the
same condition, the additive gadolinium oxide reduces not only the
grain sizes and the density of UO2 pellets, but also the thermal
conductivity [1,7e10], resulting in more fission gas release, irradiation
swelling and other issues during nuclear reactor operation,
which reduce nuclear reactor safety and economy.