Characterisations of Ti3SiC2 as Candidate for the Structural Materials of High Temperature Reactors

In the framework of an extensive R&D Program on High Temperature Reactors, the production and characterization of different ceramics liable to be used as structural materials are performed at the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA). The Ti3SiC2 compound has received increasing attention due to its excellent properties in thermal conductivity and damage tolerance. The chemical stability and the evolution of the properties of the Ti3SiC2 compound under irradiation are a challenging issue. An irradiation program for the Ti3SiC2 compound is in progress. In this paper, we report the first characterisations of the Ti3SiC2 samples fabricated by reactively HIP sintering: thermochemical, thermal and mechanical properties. The objectives are (i) to determine exactly the properties of the compound which will be irradiated and (ii) to obtain data for fuel modeling codes. The thermal characterisations were highlighted the effect of the TiSi2 phase, as secondary phase into the Ti3SiC2 sample, on the thermal behavior of the compound. The inelastic behavior of the compound, even at room temperature, was confirmed. A test on Na-compatibility was carried out on the powder mixture with a DSC analysis and showed no reactivity between the Ti3SiC2 compound and the liquid Na.