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This topic is inspired by report of a shortage of reactor grade graphite in the United Kingdom.
The demand for this material is likely to increase. The raw material is abundant on Earth.
This topic is available for NewMars members who might wish to provide links, images or text that would help an entrepreneur to establish a robust business supplying graphite for nuclear applications, and for whatever other applications are appropriate.
Here is an article that reports on a shortage in the UK:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/r … 9d94&ei=82
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Post #3: Calliban: https://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.ph … 73#p234373
Production of graphite using two methods. C12 - C13 removal - C14 production
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Back in my university days, I attended a short course detailing the production of nuclear graphite. From memory, magnox graphite was made from petroleum coke. This was ground into powder, which was then bound with a glue and compressed into moulds. The green bricks were then baked at very high temperature, resulting in the particles fusing together and the glue undergoing pyrolysis. AGR graphite was produced differently. It was made from graphite that was mined in the US. This had a desirable microstructure.
Natural carbon is about 99% C12 with 1% C13. It would be desirable to seperate the C13, as this absorbs neutrons and creates C14, a long lived radioactive waste product. Concentrated C13 can be inserted into sample tubes within reactors in order to breed C14 if there is a specific use for this isotope. But bulk seperation of C13 would be desirable, as it would greatly reduce the volume and activity of waste upon reactor decommisioning.
"Plan and prepare for every possibility, and you will never act. It is nobler to have courage as we stumble into half the things we fear than to analyse every possible obstacle and begin nothing. Great things are achieved by embracing great dangers."
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