Investigation of NdxY0.25-xZr0.75O1.88 inert matrix fuel materials made by a co-precipitation synthetic route
- Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)
Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a material that we are considering in our inert matrix fuel nuclear reactors, but a complete characterization of these materials is required for them to be licensed for use. A series of NdxY0.25–xZr0.75O1.88 materials have been synthesized using a co-precipitation method, and the thermal stability of these materials has been studied by annealing them at 1400 and 1500 °C. (Nd was used as surrogate for Am.) The long-range and local structures of the materials were characterized via powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, wavelength dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Zr K- and Y K-edges. These results were compared with the previous characterization of Nd-YSZ materials synthesized using a ceramic method. Moreover, the results indicated that the ordering in the local metal–oxygen polyhedral remains relatively unaffected by the synthetic method, but there was increased long-range disorder in the materials prepared by the co-precipitation method. Further, it was found that the materials produced by the co-precipitation method were unexpectedly unstable when annealed at high temperature. This study highlights the importance of determining the effect of synthetic method on material properties and demonstrates how the co-precipitation route could be used to produce inert matrix fuels.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 1243120
- Journal Information:
- Canadian Journal of Chemistry, Vol. 94, Issue (3) ; 03, 2016; ISSN 0008-4042
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- ENGLISH
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