Fabrication and Characterisation of (U, Am)O2-x transmutation targets

A novel dust-free route for the preparation of (U, Am)O2-X targets was demonstrated by a combined sol-gel step and a single- or double Am-infiltration process at the Minor Actinide Laboratory (MALAB) of the Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU). Samples with 10 and 20 mol % of Am were prepared. For both Am concentrations, sintering under humidified Ar/H2 atmosphere at 1650°C for 8 and 24 hours yielded a single cubic phase material with a fluorite structure. X-ray absorption spectroscopic and diffraction studies were carried out to characterise the chemical environment of the metal atoms and their local crystallographic structure. The U(IV) and Am(III) valence states are predominant and the O/Am ratio is ~1.6 for the 10 and 20 mol% Am content. For the 20 mol% Am, an expansion of the Am-O (2.43 Å) bond length beyond the U-O bond length (2.33 Å) was found.

VESPA Marika;  RINI Matteo;  SPINO Jose Luis;  VITOVA T.;  SOMERS Joseph; 

2012-12-06

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

JRC63582

0022-3115,   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC63582,   

10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.11.055,