Measurement of Thermal Properties of Nuclear Materials by Laser Flash Method

The present status and prospects of the laser flash method for the measurement of thermal properties of nuclear materials are reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on the progress seen in experimental techniques for obtaining precise data on heat capacity and thermal diffusivity from 80 to 1,000 K. In this temperature range, the heat capacity and the thermal diffusivity of ceramic nuclear materials can be determined within a precision of ±2%. The data on heat capacity and thermal conductivity determined by the laser flash method are presented and discussed in respect of such nuclear materials as U02 U4O9 ThO2 BeO, ThO2-UO2 ThO2-Ce02 UO2-ZrO2 ThO2-Be0, UC, UN, US, UP, UC1-xNx and UP1-xSx.