Abstract: A burnable absorber-containing glaze is formed on nuclear fuel pellets by applying a finely divided mixture of a boron-containing burnable absorber and a boron-containing glass to the pellet surface as a coating and firing the coated pellets at 900.degree.-1100.degree. C., for about 5 to 15 minutes, to melt the boron-containing glass and encapsulate the boron-containing burnable absorber. The coating is of a thickness of 1 mil or less and contains an amount of B.sup.10 sufficient to provide desired absorption of neutrons during reactor operation. The resultant pellets exhibit good adhesion of the coating and excellent resistance to moisture adsorption.

Abstract: Composite cermets having a central core of a first cermet composition and one or more surrounding layers of different cermet compositions are formed by a multi-step pressing operation, followed by sintering. A tungsten/alumina or molybdenum/alumina composite cermet is useful as an end closure for alumina arc tubes of metal halide discharge lamps.

Abstract: Method for preparing finely divided high purity alumina doped with a small predetermined percentage of magnesia. In the preparation, there is first formed a mixed clear solution of aluminum alkoxide and a small amount of magnesium in the form of alkoxide or water soluble magnesium salt. There is then included with the clear solution a substantial excess of water over that required to completely hydrolyze the alkoxide and there is added thereto a small amount of selected acid which is effective to peptize the resulting slurry. The formed milky slurry is then allowed to become fully peptized to form a clear sol. The clear sol is converted to a finely divided and dried powder either by forming the sol into a gel, which is then dried, and mechanically reduced to a powder status or by spray drying the sol at elevated temperatures which produces the dried powder. Thereafter, the finely divided and dried powder is calcined at a temperature of from about 700.degree. C. to about 900.degree. C.