The recent development of small modular reactors (SMRs) and the adoption of higher-enrichment fuels have intensified the need for advanced burnable absorbers to ensure effective reactivity control and extended fuel cycles. Among various designs, UO2 fuels with high Gd2O3 (gadolinium oxide) content provide notable benefits; in particular, they are compatible with established fabrication methods for burnable absorber fuels. However, achieving a homogeneous dispersion of Gd2O3 at high loading levels remains challenging, and the frequent occurrence of phase segregation and non-uniform microstructures can limit fuel reliability and performance. Overcoming these limitations requires an understanding of the powder characteristics and mixing behaviors during fabrication. In this study, we investigate the effects of the initial particle size and mixing method of UO2 and Gd2O3 powders on the microstructure and mixing homogeneity of high-Gd2O3-content fuels. The findings indicate that both the mixing method and the preparation state of the starting powders significantly affect the resulting microstructure and mixing uniformity.

doped (GDC) solid solutions have been considered as a promising materials for electrolytes in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. In this study, the nano-sized GDC powder with average panicle size of 69nm was prepared by a high energy ball milling process and its sintering behavior was investigated. Heat-treatment at of nano-sized GDC powder mixture led to GDC solid-solution. The enhanced densification over 96% of relative density was obtained after sintering at for 2h. It was found that the sinterability of GDC powder could be significantly improved by the introduction of a high energy ball milling process