Cerium neodymium oxide solid solution synthesis as a potential analogue for substoichiometric AmO2 for radioisotope power systems

E. J. Watkinson; R. M. Ambrosi; H. R. Williams; M. J. Sarsfield; K. Stephenson; D. P. Weston; N. Marsh; C. Haidon

doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.01.011

Cerium neodymium oxide solid solution synthesis as a potential analogue for substoichiometric AmO₂ for radioisotope power systems

E. J. Watkinson^*, R. M. Ambrosi, H. R. Williams, M. J. Sarsfield, K. Stephenson, D. P. Weston, N. Marsh, C. Haidon

^*Corresponding author for this work

Metallurgy and Materials

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The European Space Agency (ESA) is sponsoring a research programme on the development of americium oxides for radioisotope generators and heater units. Cubic AmO_2-(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) Ce_1-xNd_xO_2-(x/2) oxides with 0.5 < x < 0.7 could be used as a surrogate for some Ia-3 AmO_2-(x/2). A new Ce_1-xNd_xO_2-(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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	308-322
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Nuclear Materials
Volume	486
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.01.011
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2017

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to acknowledge the funding provided by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council [ST/K/502121/1] and the European Space Agency [TEC-EPS/2009/531, E903-001EP]. Furthermore, the contributions of C. Carrigan (National Nuclear Laboratory) with whom the Raman spectroscopy data were collected, G. Hansford (University of Leicester) whose advice and IDL code was used to provide a first estimate of the lattice parameters from the PXRD data of the oxides, T. Knott who provided advice for XRF calibration uncertainty estimates, and D. Vernon and T. Crawford who supported the set-up and maintenance of the pumps are gratefully acknowledged.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Nuclear and High Energy Physics
General Materials Science
Nuclear Energy and Engineering

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.01.011

Cite this

@article{15e59909de734a89814f210a40572868,

title = "Cerium neodymium oxide solid solution synthesis as a potential analogue for substoichiometric AmO2 for radioisotope power systems",

abstract = "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 < x < 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.",

author = "Watkinson, {E. J.} and Ambrosi, {R. M.} and Williams, {H. R.} and Sarsfield, {M. J.} and K. Stephenson and Weston, {D. P.} and N. Marsh and C. Haidon",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the funding provided by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council [ST/K/502121/1] and the European Space Agency [TEC-EPS/2009/531, E903-001EP]. Furthermore, the contributions of C. Carrigan (National Nuclear Laboratory) with whom the Raman spectroscopy data were collected, G. Hansford (University of Leicester) whose advice and IDL code was used to provide a first estimate of the lattice parameters from the PXRD data of the oxides, T. Knott who provided advice for XRF calibration uncertainty estimates, and D. Vernon and T. Crawford who supported the set-up and maintenance of the pumps are gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Elsevier B.V.",

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doi = "10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.01.011",

language = "English",

volume = "486",

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AU - Watkinson, E. J.

AU - Ambrosi, R. M.

AU - Williams, H. R.

AU - Sarsfield, M. J.

AU - Stephenson, K.

AU - Weston, D. P.

AU - Marsh, N.

AU - Haidon, C.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to acknowledge the funding provided by the Science and Technologies Facilities Council [ST/K/502121/1] and the European Space Agency [TEC-EPS/2009/531, E903-001EP]. Furthermore, the contributions of C. Carrigan (National Nuclear Laboratory) with whom the Raman spectroscopy data were collected, G. Hansford (University of Leicester) whose advice and IDL code was used to provide a first estimate of the lattice parameters from the PXRD data of the oxides, T. Knott who provided advice for XRF calibration uncertainty estimates, and D. Vernon and T. Crawford who supported the set-up and maintenance of the pumps are gratefully acknowledged. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2017/4/1

Y1 - 2017/4/1

N2 - 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 < x < 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.

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