Cerium neodymium oxide solid solution synthesis as a potential analogue for substoichiometric AmO^sub 2^ for radioisotope power systems

The European Space Agency (ESA) is sponsoring a research programme on the development of americium oxides for radioisotope generators and heater units. Cubic AmO2-(x/2) with an O/Am ratio between 1.65 and 1.75 is a potentially suitable compound for pellet sintering. C-type (Ia-3) Ce1-xNdxO2-(x/2)) o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nuclear materials 2017-04, Vol.486, p.308
Main Authors: Watkinson, EJ, Ambrosi, RM, Williams, HR, Sarsfield, MJ, Stephenson, K, Weston, DP, Marsh, N, Haidon, C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Americium
Cerium
Cerium oxides
Chemical compounds
Generators
Neodymium
Nitrates
Oxalates
Oxalic acid
Oxides
Particle shape
Precipitates
Radioisotopes
Sintering
Temperature effects
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Summary:The European Space Agency (ESA) is sponsoring a research programme on the development of americium oxides for radioisotope generators and heater units. Cubic AmO2-(x/2) with an O/Am ratio between 1.65 and 1.75 is a potentially suitable compound for pellet sintering. C-type (Ia-3) Ce1-xNdxO2-(x/2)) oxides with 0.5 < × < 0.7 could be used as a surrogate for some Ia-3 AmO2-(x/2). A new Ce1-xNdxO2-(x/2) production process has been investigated where a nominally selected x value of 0.6 was targeted: Ce and Nd nitrates and oxalic acid were added drop-wise into a vessel, where they continuously reacted to create oxalate precipitates. The effect of temperature (25 °C, 60 °C) of the reactants (mixed at 250 revolutions per minute) on oxalate particle shape and size were investigated. Oxalates were calcined at 900 °C to produce oxide particles. Oxalate particle properties were characterised as these are expected to influence oxides particle properties and fuel pellet sintering.
ISSN:0022-3115
1873-4820