A
polygranular graphite material for use in
nuclear reactor cores consisting of
graphitic carbon of very high chemical purity. High purity is needed to avoid absorption of low-energy
neutrons and the production of undesirable
radioactive species.
Note:
Apart from the absence of
neutron-absorbing impurities, modern reactor graphites are also characterized by a high degree
of
graphitization and no preferred bulk orientation. Such properties increase the dimensional stability
of the nuclear
graphite at high temperatures and in a high flux of neutrons. The term nuclear
graphite is often, but incorrectly, used for any
graphite material in a
nuclear reactor, even if it serves only for structural purposes.
Source:
PAC, 1995, 67, 473
(Recommended terminology for the description of carbon as a solid (IUPAC Recommendations
1995))
on page 498
Cite as:
IUPAC. Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. (the "Gold Book"). Compiled by
A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford (1997).
XML on-line corrected version: http://goldbook.iupac.org (2006-) created by M. Nic,
J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN 0-9678550-9-8.
https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.
