Thermal expansion and self-irradiation damage in curium nitride lattice

Takano, Masahide ; Hayashi, Hirokazu ; Minato, Kazuo 

A powder sample of curium nitride (CmN) containing 0.35%-PuN and 3.59%-AmN was prepared by carbothermic nitridation of the oxide. The lattice expansion induced by self-irradiation damage at room temperature was measured as a function of time. The saturated a/a value was 0.43%, which is greater than those for transuranium dioxides available in literature. The undamaged lattice parameter at 2971 K was determined to be 0.502610.00006 nm. Temperature dependence of the lattice parameter was measured by a high temperature X-ray diffractometer in the temperature range up to 1375 K. The linear thermal expansion of the lattice from 293 to 1273 K is 0.964% and the corresponding thermal expansion coefficient is 9.84 10 K. Comparing with the other actinide nitrides, it was found that CmN lies between the higher expansion nitrides (PuN and AmN) and the lower expansion nitrides (UN and NpN).