Effect of graphite and graphene oxide on thorium carbide microstructural and thermal properties.

Thorium carbide to be tested as target material for the production of Ac with the ISOL method, was produced via carbothermal reduction of ThO nanoparticles by graphite and graphene oxide, respectively. The use of graphene oxide (GO) as carbon source resulted in a reduced reactivity compared to graphite, confirmed by the presence of unreacted ThO mainly in the core of the samples. The reacted ThO or ThC-GO showed a faster reactivity in air, mainly observed as ThC amorphization.

Morphological and functional effects of graphene on the synthesis of uranium carbide for isotopes production targets.

The development of tailored targets for the production of radioactive isotopes represents an active field in nuclear research. Radioactive beams find applications in nuclear medicine, in astrophysics, matter physics and materials science. In this work, we study the use of graphene both as carbon source for UO carbothermal reduction to produce UC targets, and also as functional properties booster.

Molecular dynamics simulation of premelting and melting phase transitions in stoichiometric uranium dioxide.

Results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of UO2 in a wide temperature range are presented and discussed. A new approach to the calibration of a partly ionic Busing-Ida-type model is proposed. A potential parameter set is obtained reproducing the experimental density of solid UO2 in a wide range of temperatures.