Relativistic effects on the thermal expansion of the actinide elements

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.42.4544· OSTI ID:6389196

Soederlind, P; Nordstroem, L; Yongming, Lou; Johansson, B ^[1]

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1. Condensed Matter Theory Group, Physics Department, University of Uppsala, Box 530, S-75121 Uppsala (Sweden)

The room-temperature linear thermal-expansion coefficient is calculated for the light actinides thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, and plutonium for the fcc crystal structure. The relativistic spin-orbit interaction is included in these calculations. We show that the spin-orbit splitting of the 5{ital f} band gives rise to a considerable increase of the thermal expansion and to a large extent explains the observed anomalously large thermal expansion for the neptunium and plutonium metals.

• OSTI ID: 6389196
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (USA), Vol. 42:7; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS
NEPTUNIUM
THERMAL EXPANSION
PLUTONIUM
PROTACTINIUM
THORIUM
URANIUM
ACTINIDES
FCC LATTICES
L-S COUPLING
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
COUPLING
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CUBIC LATTICES
ELEMENTS
EXPANSION
INTERMEDIATE COUPLING
METALS
TRANSURANIUM ELEMENTS
360104* - Metals & Alloys- Physical Properties
050700 - Nuclear Fuels- Fuels Production & Properties