The high-temperature heat capacity of the (Th,U)O 2 and (U,Pu)O 2 solid solutions

S.O. Vălu , O. Beneš , D. Manara (1) , R.J.M. Konings (1) , M.W.D. Cooper , R.W. Grimes , C. Guéneau (2, 3)

1 ITU - JRC Institute for Transuranium Elements [Karlsruhe]
2 LM2T - Laboratoire de Modélisation, Thermodynamique et Thermochimie
3 CEA-DES (ex-DEN) - CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire)

The enthalpy increment data for the (Th,U)O2 and (U,Pu)O2 solid solutions are reviewed and complemented with new experimental data (400-1773 K) for not yet measured compositions. The results of the review show that from room temperature up to about 2000 K the enthalpy data are in agreement with the additivity rule (Neumann-Kopp) in the whole composition range. Above 2000 K the effect of Oxygen Frenkel Pair (OFP) formation leads to an excess enthalpy (heat capacity) that is modeled using the enthalpy and entropy of OFP formation from the end members derived previously. A good agreement with existing experimental work is observed.

Domains: Nuclear Theory [nucl-th]; Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex]

S.O. Vălu, O. Beneš, D. Manara, R.J.M. Konings, M.W.D. Cooper, et al.. The high-temperature heat capacity of the (Th,U)O 2 and (U,Pu)O 2 solid solutions. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2017, 484, pp.1-6. ⟨10.1016/j.jnucmat.2016.11.010⟩. ⟨cea-02389447⟩