Role of cation interactions in the reduction process in plutonium-americium mixed oxides.

The oxygen to metal ratio (O/M) is directly related to oxygen potential, which strongly influences the sintering and irradiation performance of nuclear fuels. A better understanding of these two parameters is therefore of major interest. To further ascertain the correlation between O/M ratio and oxygen potential in Am-bearing MOX, several thermodynamic descriptions are being developed. Despite their differences, they all involve the valence of actinide cations (e.g., U, Pu, and Am) as essential parameters. However, as no experimental data on their valence are available, these models rely on assumptions. In the present work, we coupled X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy to follow the behavior of Pu and Am in three hypo-stoichiometric, U-free Pu(1-y)Am(y)O(2-x) compounds. We provide for the first time a quantitative determination of Pu and Am valences, demonstrating that plutonium reduction from Pu(4+) to Pu(3+) starts only when americium reduction from Am(4+) to Am(3+) is completed. This result fills in an important gap in experimental data, thereby improving the thermodynamic description of nuclear fuels. At last, we suggest that the O/M ratio may evolve at room temperature, especially for high Am content, which is of main concern for the fabrication of Am-loaded MOX and their storage prior to irradiation.

High-temperature X-ray diffraction study of uranium-neptunium mixed oxides.

Incorporating minor actinides (MAs = Am, Np, Cm) in UO2 fertile blankets is a viable option to recycle them. Despite this applied interest, phase equilibria between uranium and MAs still need to be thoroughly investigated, especially at elevated temperatures. In particular, few reports on the U-Np-O system are available. In the present work, we provide for the first time in situ high-temperature X-ray diffraction results obtained during the oxidation of (U1-yNpy)O2 uranium-neptunium mixed oxides up to 1373 K and discuss subsequent phase transformations. We show that (i) neptunium stabilizes the UO2-type fluorite structure at high temperature and that (ii) the U3O8-type orthorhombic structure is observed in a wide range of compositions. We clearly demonstrate the incorporation of neptunium in this phase, which was a controversial question in previous studies up to now. We believe it is the particular stability of the tetravalent state of neptunium that is responsible for the observed phase relationships.