About the group
BUFFF, part of the National Nuclear User Facility, provides a first-of-a-kind, innovative platform that enables users to study the manufacture of ceramics including nuclear fuels and other nuclear materials. The ability to vary the sintering atmosphere (including at temperature) whilst visually assessing the sintering process is of significant interest to users in industry and academia.
How we deliver Research Excellence
Our staff are trained in radiation protection principles and procedures, the requirements of the Regulations and the arrangements in local rules to enable them to supervise the work safely and maintain the precautions that will restrict exposure.
BUFFF is equipped with professional-grade audio visual capabilities allowing us to deliver hands-in-pocket seminars, tutorials as well as running interactive workshops where attendees will receive a master class in fuel production and laboratory operation.
The sintering furnace at the centre of BUFFF is a one of a kind piece of equipment in the UK and world-leading: provides the ability to tailor the sintering atmosphere in an industrially applicable manner but on a laboratory scale, whilst also having the ability to observe the sintering process in-situ using a range of digital image correlation techniques (with further techniques to be developed using the facility) whilst monitoring the sintering atmosphere using techniques including gas-chromatography-mass-spectrometry (GC-MS).
Our Capabilities
BUFFF enables the investigation and research of a range of nuclear fuels and other nuclear industry relevant ceramics, progressing them from powders (provided in part by the industrial sponsors) through to blends, pressed green pellets and then sintered bodies.
Dilatometry
A powerful analytical technique to determine the dimensional changes in a material as a function of temperature. BUFFF houses a Linseis DIL L74 Dilatometer with a maximum working temperature of 1,500 °C and heating rate of 0.01 – 100 °C per minute.
Pellet Pressing
The creation of solid pellets from powdered products. BUFFF uses a Korsch STYL One Nano capable of pressing up 1,800 pellets per hour by leveraging compressed air and software aid for uniform pressing.