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Zirconia – A Ceramic for Excess weapons Plutonium Wastes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

W. L. Gong ,
W. Lutze  and
R. C. Ewing
W. L. Gong
Affiliation:
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
W. Lutze
Affiliation:
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
R. C. Ewing
Affiliation:
University of Michigan, MI 48109, USA
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Abstract

We synthesized a ceramic containing simulated excess weapons plutonium waste in solidsolution with zirconia (ZrO2)ss. ZrO2 has a large solubility for other metal oxides. More thantwenty binary systems AxOy- ZrO2 have been reported in the literature, including PuG2, rare earth elements, and oxides of metals contained in weapons plutonium wastes. We show that significant amounts of gadolinium (neutron absorber) and yttrium (stabilizer of the cubic modification) can be dissolved in ZrO2, together with plutonium (simulated by Th4+, Ce4+, or U4+) and impurities (e.g., Ca Mg, Fe, Si). Sol-gel and powder methods were applied to make homogeneous, single phase zirconia solid solutions. Pu waste impurities were completely dissolved in the solid solutions. In contrast to other phases, e.g., zirconolite and pyrochlore, yttrium stabilized cubic zirconia does not undergo amorphization upon irradiation.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 556: Symposium QQ – Scientific Basis for Nuclear Waste Management XXII , 1999 , 63
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

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