Thermophysical properties of BaUO3

Thermophysical properties of BaUO3, specifically melting point, thermal expansion coefficient, elastic moduli, Debye temperature, and thermal conductivity, have been studied. The longitudinal and shear sound velocities of BaUO3 were measured by an ultrasonic pulse-echo method at room temperature, which enabled us to calculate the elastic properties and the Debye temperature. Microhardness measurements were made for BaUO3 at room temperature using a micro-Vickers hardness tester. These mechanical properties of BaUO3 differed from those of UO2. The thermal conductivity was calculated from the measured density and thermal diffusivity and literature values of heat capacity. The thermal conductivity of BaUO3 was about one-tenth that of UO2. The thermophysical properties of BaUO3 were found to be glass-like rather than like those of typical ceramics.