Innovative Civilian Applications of Depleted Uranium

Depleted uranium (DU) is uranium primarily composed of uranium-238 (U-238). DU is useful because of its very high density. Present civilian uses include counterweights in aircraft, radiation shielding, containers used to transport radioactive materials. Military uses include defensive armor plating and armor-piercing projectiles. DU inventories in the world are big, and increasing: which are the possible destinations of the relatively large quantities of DU produced by the nuclear industry in the past and in the future? Here, innovative civilian applications will be addressed: they could ultimately use the entire inventory of DU