Better Nuclear Fuel

Apparently, nuclear fuel pellets can suffering temperature-related
degradation, such as cracking, which shortens their useful life. A new
formulation has been developed that will improve heat conduction, to
minimize the buildup of hotspots can cause the cracking:

http://www.e4engineering.com/Articles/292245/Finer+fuel+efficiency.htm

So would this be useful for pebble-bed reactors too? Or do they maybe
already use this idea?

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