Thermodynamic and Structural Modelling of Non-Stoichiometric Ln-Doped UO2 Solid Solutions, Ln = {La, Pr, Nd, Gd}.

Available data on the dependence of the equilibrium chemical potential of oxygen on degrees of doping, z, and non-stoichiometry, x, y, in U1-z Ln z O2+0.5(x-y) fluorite solid solutions and data on the dependence of the lattice parameter, a, on the same variables are combined within a unified structural-thermodynamic model. The thermodynamic model fits experimental isotherms of the oxygen potential under the assumptions of a non-ideal mixing of the endmembers, UO2, UO2.5, UO1.5, LnO1.5, and Ln 0.5U0.5O2, and of a significant reduction in the configurational entropy arising from short-range ordering (SRO) within cation-anion distributions. The structural model further investigates the SRO in terms of constraints on admissible values of cation coordination numbers and, building on these constraints, fits the lattice parameter as a function of z, y, and x. Linking together the thermodynamic and structural models allows predicting the lattice parameter as a function of z, T and the oxygen partial pressure. The model elucidates contrasting structural and thermodynamic changes due to the doping with LaO1.5, on the one hand, and with NdO1.5 and GdO1.5, on the other hand. An increased oxidation resistance in the case of Gd and Nd is attributed to strain effects caused by the lattice contraction due to the doping and to an increased thermodynamic cost of a further contraction required by the oxidation.

Pyrochlore Compounds From Atomistic Simulations.

Pyrochlore compounds (A 2 B 2O7) have a large applicability in various branches of science and technology. These materials are considered for use as effective ionic conductors for solid state batteries or as matrices for immobilization of actinide elements, amongst many other applications. In this contribution we discuss the simulation-based effort made in the Institute of Energy and Climate Research at Forschungszentrum Jülich and partner institutions regarding reliable computation of properties of pyrochlore and defect fluorite compounds. In the scope of this contribution, we focus on the investigation of dopant incorporation, defect formation and anion migration, as well as understanding of order-disorder transitions in these compounds. We present new, accurate simulated data on incorporation of U, Np, Pu, Am and Cm actinide elements into pyrochlores, activation energies for oxygen migration and radiation damage-induced structural changes in these materials. All the discussed simulation results are combined with available experimental data to provide a reliable description of properties of investigated materials. We demonstrate that a synergy of computed and experimental data leads to a superior characterization of pyrochlores, which could not be easily achieved by either of these methods when applied separately.

Rare-Earth Orthophosphates From Atomistic Simulations.

Lanthanide phosphates (LnPO 4) are considered as a potential nuclear waste form for immobilization of Pu and minor actinides (Np, Am, and Cm). In that respect, in the recent years we have applied advanced atomistic simulation methods to investigate various properties of these materials on the atomic scale. In particular, we computed several structural, thermochemical, thermodynamic and radiation damage related parameters. From a theoretical point of view, these materials turn out to be excellent systems for testing quantum mechanics-based computational methods for strongly correlated electronic systems. On the other hand, by conducting joint atomistic modeling and experimental research, we have been able to obtain enhanced understanding of the properties of lanthanide phosphates. Here we discuss joint initiatives directed at understanding the thermodynamically driven long-term performance of these materials, including long-term stability of solid solutions with actinides and studies of structural incorporation of f elements into these materials. In particular, we discuss the maximum load of Pu into the lanthanide-phosphate monazites. We also address the importance of our results for applications of lanthanide-phosphates beyond nuclear waste applications, in particular the monazite-xenotime systems in geothermometry. For this we have derived a state-of-the-art model of monazite-xenotime solubilities. Last but not least, we discuss the advantage of usage of atomistic simulations and the modern computational facilities for understanding of behavior of nuclear waste-related materials.

A new BaCa(CO3)2 polymorph.

A new polymorph of the double carbonate BaCa(CO3)2, `a C2 phase', has been synthesized. Its structure has been obtained by density-functional-theory-based (DFT-based) model calculations and has been refined by Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data. The structure of the new polymorph differs significantly from those of the established polymorphs barytocalcite, paralstonite and alstonite. The unit-cell parameters of the new monoclinic (space group C2) compound are a = 6.6775 (5), b = 5.0982 (4), c = 4.1924 (3) Å, ß = 109.259 (1)°. The new compound has been further characterized using Raman spectroscopy. This work shows that earlier studies have misidentified the products of an established synthesis route and that findings based on the incorrect identification of the synthesis product concerning the suitability of barytocalcite as a matrix for the retention of radioactive isotopes will need to be reconsidered.

Subsolidus phase relations in Ca2Mo2O8-NaEuMo2O8-powellite solid solution predicted from static lattice energy calculations and Monte Carlo simulations.

Thermodynamic mixing properties and subsolidus phase relations of Ca2Mo2O8-NaEuMo2O8 powellites were modelled in the temperature range of 423-1773 K with static lattice energy calculations based on empirically constrained interatomic potentials. Relaxed static lattice energies (SLE) of a large set of randomly varied structures in a 4 x 4 x 2 supercell of I4(1)/a powellite (a = 5.226 A, c = 11.433 A) containing 128 exchangeable (Ca, Na and Eu) atoms were calculated using the general utility lattice program (GULP). These energies were cluster expanded in the basis set of 69 pair-wise effective interactions and three configuration-independent parameters. Temperature-dependent enthalpies of mixing were calculated using the Monte Carlo method. Free energies of mixing were obtained by thermodynamic integration of the Monte Carlo results. The simulations suggest that the NaEuMo2O8 end-member is nearly fully ordered and has I4[combining macron] symmetry. The calculated subsolidus temperature-composition phase diagram is dominated by three miscibility gaps which are separated by narrow fields of stability of two ordered phases with the compositions of x = 4/9 and x = 2/3, where x is the mole fraction of the NaEuMo2O8 end-member.