Synthesis of Ca1-xCexZrTi2-2xAl2xO7 zirconolite ceramics for plutonium disposition
Min-Xiao Zhong, Brant Walkley, Daniel J. Bailey, Lewis R. Blackburn, Hao Ding, Shi-Qian Wang, Weichao Bao, Laura J. Gardner, Shi‐Kuan Sun, Martin C. Stennett, Claire L. Corkhill, Neil C. Hyatt
Abstract
A series of zirconolite ceramics with stoichiometry Ca1-xCexZrTi2-2xAl2xO7 (x = 0–0.35), considered as a host phase for the immobilisation of separated plutonium, were prepared from a mixture of oxide precursors by sintering in air at 1450 °C. Ce was utilised as a structural surrogate for Pu, with Al added to provide charge compensation. XRD and electron diffraction analyses indicated crystallisation of the zirconolite-2M polytype for all compositions, accompanied by various secondary phases contingent on the doping level, consistent with microstructure observation. The relative yield of zirconolite phases remained above 94 wt.% for 0.05 < x < 0.20. It was determined that Ce was partially reduced to the Ce3+ oxidation state and Al occupied mainly octahedral Ti sites. The incorporation rate of CeO2 was calculated to be 9.27 wt.% in Ca0.80Ce0.20ZrTi1.60Al0.40O7 with a comparatively high yield of 94.7 wt.%, which is representative of a PuO2 incorporation rate of 14.86 wt.%.