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Lattice thermal expansion of Pu 1− y Am y O 2− x plutonium–americium mixed oxides
Author(s) -
Vauchy Romain,
Joly Alexis,
Valot Christophe
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s1600576717014832
Subject(s) - americium , plutonium , thermal expansion , lattice (music) , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , lattice constant , diffraction , materials science , radiochemistry , physics , metallurgy , acoustics , optics , chromatography
Plutonium–americium mixed oxides, Pu 1− y Am y O 2− x , with various Am contents ( y = 0.018, 0.077, 0.21, 0.49, 0.80 and 1.00) were studied in situ by high‐temperature X‐ray diffraction. In this study, the lattice thermal expansion of the six compounds subjected to heat treatments up to 1773 K under reconstituted air (N 2 + 21% O 2 + ∼5 vpm H 2 O) was investigated. The materials remained monophasic throughout the experiments and, depending upon the americium content, the lattice parameter of the face‐centred cubic phase deviated from linear lattice expansion at elevated temperatures as a result of the progressive reduction of Am 4+ to Am 3+ .