Uranium carbide properties for advanced fuel modeling – A review

Abstract Uranium carbides are receiving renewed interest as a preferred nuclear fuel composition for advanced reactors due to their numerous favorable properties. Like many other refractory and transition metal carbides these compounds exist in both hypo- and hyper-stoichiometric compositions which results in significant variations in physical, thermal, and mechanical properties. This manuscript surveys both historic and recent literature to compile important properties data mainly as a function of temperature and carbon content to support fuel performance modeling. Expressions and fits for such properties are also suggested when allowed by complete data sets. The manuscript also attempts to highlight gaps and discrepancies in the reported data to assist the nuclear fuels community identify key areas that may require further attention in terms of future research and development.