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Probing Phonons in Plutonium

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Joe Wong ,
Michael Krisch ,
Daniel L. Farber ,
Florent Occelli ,
Adam J. Schwartz ,
Tai-C. Chiang ,
Mark Wall ,
Carl Boro  and
Ruqg Xu
Joe Wong*
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Michael Krisch
Affiliation:
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BP 220, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex, France
Daniel L. Farber
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Florent Occelli
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Adam J. Schwartz
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Tai-C. Chiang
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
Mark Wall
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Carl Boro
Affiliation:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Ruqg Xu
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
*
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail wong10@llnl.gov
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Extract

Plutonium (Pu) is well known to have complex and unique physico-chemical properties [1]. Notably, the pure metal exhibits six solid-state phase transformations with large volume expansions and contractions along the way to the liquid state: α → β → γ → δ → δ' → ε→ liquid. Unalloyed Pu melts at a relatively low temperature ∼640 °C to yield a higher density liquid than that of the solid from which it melts, (Figure 1). Detailed understanding of the properties of plutonium and plutonium-based alloys is critical for the safe handling, utilization, and long-term storage of these important, but highly toxic materials. However, both technical and and safety issues have made experimental observations extremely difficult.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 802: Symposium DD – Actinides - Basic Science, Applications, and Technology , 2003 , DD2.2
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

REFERENCES

[1] Hecker, S.S., Challenges in Plutonium Science, Los Alamos Sci, 26, 290 (2000).Google Scholar
[2] Requardt, H., et al. Phys. Rev. B 66, 214303 (2002)Google Scholar
[3] Wong, Joe et al. Science, 301, 1078 (2003)Google Scholar
[4] Dai, X. et al., Science 300, 953 (2003)Google Scholar
[5] Ledbetter, H. M. and Moment, R.L., Acta Metall. 24, 891 (1976)Google Scholar