A method for producing microencapsulated fuel pebble fuel more rapidly and with a matrix that engenders added safety attributes. The method includes coating fuel particles with ceramic powder; placing the coated fuel particles in a first die; applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering. The method may further include removing the fuel pebble from the first die and placing the fuel pebble within a bed of non-fueled matrix ceramic in a second die; and applying a second current and a second pressure to the second die so as to form a composite fuel pebble.

A method for producing microencapsulated fuel pebble fuel more rapidly and with a matrix that engenders added safety attributes. The method includes coating fuel particles with ceramic powder; placing the coated fuel particles in a first die; applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering. The method may further include removing the fuel pebble from the first die and placing the fuel pebble within a bed of non-fueled matrix ceramic in a second die; and applying a second current and a second pressure to the second die so as to form a composite fuel pebble.

Composite material, where the matrix material and the additive are held together by covalently or non-covalently bound ligands. The linker unit between matrix and additive has the structure Ligand1-LinkerL-Ligand 2, wherein Ligand1 and Ligand2 are a bond or a chemical entity that is capable of binding covalently or non-covalently to a structural entity, such as a polymer matrix or the additive (ex. CNT, graphene, carbon nanofiber, etc), and LinkerL is a chemical bond or entity that links Ligand1 and Ligand2.

The application discloses a preparation method of monocrystal uranium dioxide nuclear fuel pellets, comprising: granulating and pelleting UO.sub.2 powder to obtain UO.sub.2 pellets; then coating surfaces of the UO.sub.2 pellets with monocrystal growth additive micro powder to form core-shell structure particles; and activated-sintering the core-shell structure particles at high temperature, liquefying the monocrystal growth additive on the surface of the core-shell structure particle at high temperature and then diffusing into UO.sub.2 pellets, dissolving the UO.sub.3 in the liquid monocrystal growth additive, and recrystallizing the UO.sub.2 to form the monocrystal UO.sub.2 nuclear fuel pellets.

Composite material, where the matrix material and the additive are held together by covalently or non-covalently bound ligands. The linker unit between matrix and additive has the structure Ligand1-LinkerL-Ligand 2, wherein Ligand1 and Ligand2 are a bond or a chemical entity that is capable of binding covalently or non-covalently to a structural entity, such as a polymer matrix or the additive (ex. CNT, graphene, carbon nanofiber, etc), and LinkerL is a chemical bond or entity that links Ligand1 and Ligand2.

A method for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite component having a deltoid region is provided. The method includes providing a porous ceramic preform. The porous ceramic preform includes a layer-to-layer weave of ceramic fibers that forms a modified layer-to-layer woven core and at least one 2-dimensional layer of ceramic fibers that is disposed adjacent to the modified layer-to-layer woven core. The porous ceramic preform is formed into a ceramic matrix composite body having the deltoid region such that the modified layer-to-layer woven core extends through the deltoid region.

The present invention relates to a process for sintering a compacted powder of at least one oxide of a metal selected from an actinide and a lanthanide, this process comprising the following successive steps, carried out in a furnace and under an atmosphere comprising an inert gas, dihydrogen and water: (a) a temperature increase from an initial temperature T.sub.I up to a hold temperature T.sub.P, (b) maintaining the temperature at the hold temperature T.sub.P, and (c) a temperature decrease from the hold temperature T.sub.P down to a final temperature T.sub.F, in which the P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O) ratio is such that: 500<P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O)50 000, during step (a), from T.sub.I until a first intermediate temperature T.sub.i1 between 1000 C. and T.sub.P is reached, and P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O)500, at least during step (c), from a second intermediate temperature T.sub.i2 between T.sub.P and 1000 C., until T.sub.F is reached.

An antimicrobial material including a substrate and an antimicrobial mixed metal oxide, mixed metal sulfide, or mixed metal oxysulfide in and/or on the substrate is described, as well as antimicrobial coating materials and coatings formed therefrom. The antimicrobial material may be constituted in an antimicrobial surface of a surface-presenting substrate, to combat transmission and spread of microbial disease, e.g., disease mediated by microbial pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Antimicrobial mixed metal oxide, mixed metal sulfide, or mixed metal oxysulfide as described may be contacted with microorganisms to effect inactivation thereof.

An antimicrobial material including a substrate and an antimicrobial mixed metal oxide, mixed metal sulfide, or mixed metal oxysulfide in and/or on the substrate is described, as well as antimicrobial coating materials and coatings formed therefrom. The antimicrobial material may be constituted in an antimicrobial surface of a surface-presenting substrate, to combat transmission and spread of microbial disease, e.g., disease mediated by microbial pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Antimicrobial mixed metal oxide, mixed metal sulfide, or mixed metal oxysulfide as described may be contacted with microorganisms to effect inactivation thereof.

Various embodiments of the disclosure provide methods using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at moderate temperatures and moderate pressures to fabricate high-density graphite material. The moderate temperatures may be temperatures not exceeding about 1200 C. The moderate pressures may be pressures not exceeding about 300 MPa. The high density exhibited by the resulting, sintered, high-density graphite material may be greater than about 1.75 g/cm.sup.3 (e.g., greater than about 2.0 g/cm.sup.3).