Patent ID: 7919023

Claim:
A process for the manufacture of a dense material containing uranium dioxide UO 2 , the process comprising: introducing a plurality of powders each including uranium dioxide UO 2 , into a vibrating grinder, at least two of the powders provided by, respectively, a wet route and a dry route, the at least two powders having different crystallite agglomeration and aggregation degrees, each of the powders having a specific surface area within about 10 m 2 /g of each other powder; shaking the powders with the vibrating grinder so as to form a particulate material lacking agglomerates and aggregates, the shaking including breaking up agglomerates and aggregates in the powders without at the same time breaking up crystallites in the powders, the shaking destroying substantially all agglomerates and aggregates in the powders; introducing the particulate material into a mould; applying a shaping stress to the particulate material so as to obtain a compacted material; and sintering the compacted material so as to obtain the dense material.