Work

Structural investigation of sintered zirconia ceramics for nuclear applications - effects of Ce/Nd dopants and synthesis methods

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The novelty of this work lies in the comprehensive investigation of neodymium and cerium doped zirconia ceramics structure through X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy. This combination made it possible to identify a previously unknown difference in the ordering of cationic and anionic sublattices in sol-gel samples for these materials. Furthermore, the sol-gel method was compared with mechanical alloying, each followed by Spark Plasma Sintering. For these synthesis routes, Nd(III) and/or Ce(IV) ions were employed as substitutes for radioactive minor actinides to simulate structural changes in an inert fuel matrix. The final structure of the ceramics proved to be highly dependent on both the type of dopant and the synthesis method, with successful incorporation of Ce and Nd ions resulting in significant changes in crystallographic lattice parameters. These findings enhance the understanding of the role of Ce and Nd as substitutes for minor actinides in the application potential of zirconia-based ceramics for nuclear technologies.

Source: Journal of Molecular Structure

DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2025.143911