Study of mechanistic model of nonstoichiometric nuclear fuel based on oxygen defect

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24360389
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Nuclear engineering
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: KONASHI Kenji 東北大学, 金属材料研究所, 准教授 (10250812)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YAITA Tsuyoshi 独立行政法人日本原子力研究開発機構, 量子ビーム応用研究部門, 研究主幹 (40370481)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): TANAKA Satoru 東京大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 教授 (10114547) ; KATO Masato 独立行政法人日本原子力研究開発機構, 次世代部門燃料技術開発G, グループリーダー (20421753)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 核燃料 / 格子欠陥 / ラマン分光 / XAFS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Design and performance analysis of mixed oxyde fuels requires empirical data and irradiation testing. In this study, computational and nanoscale characterization tools were used for better understanding of material properties. First principles calculations have been done for PuO2-x, which is non-stoichiometry compound with oxygen vacancies. Oxygen chemical potentials near the stoichiometry were evaluated with calculated formation energy of single vacancy. Comparison of the calculated results with experimental values shows good agreement in the range of O/Pu ratio from 2.00 to 1.98. Since the density of the oxygen vacancy is large for low O/Pu samples, vacancy-vacancy interaction should be taken into account. Raman scattering experiments have been done for CeO2-x, which was used surrogate of PuO2-x to avoid a problem of handling alpha-emitter radioisotope. Samples of CeO2-x are also being characterized by means of the CeK-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS).

Free Research Field

原子力