Pressure-induced elongation of hydrogen-oxygen bond in sodium silicate melts

Ohashi, Tomonori*; Sakamaki, Tatsuya*; Funakoshi, Kenichi*; Steinle-Neumann, G.*; Hattori, Takanori; Yuan, L.*; Suzuki, Akio*

Journal of Mineralogical and Petrological Sciences (Internet), 120(1), p.240926a_1 - 240926a_13, 2025/06

https://doi.org/10.2465/jmps.240926a

We explore the structures of dry and hydrated (HO and DO) NaSiO melt at 0-6 GPa and 1000-1300 K and glasses recovered from high pressure and temperatures by in-situ neutron and X-ray diffraction. The structures of the melts at 0-10 GPa and 3000 K are also investigated by ab-initio molecular dynamics simulation. In-situ neutron experiments revealed that the D-O distance increases with compression due to the formation of -O-D-O- bridging species, which is reproduced by the molecular dynamics simulations. The pressure-induced -O-D-O- formation reflects a more rigid incorporation of hydrogen, which acts as a mechanism for the experimentally observed higher solubility of water in silicate melts. Together with shrinking modifier domains, this process dominates the compression behavior of hydrous NaSiO melt, whereas the compression of dry NaSiO at 0-10 GPa and 3000 K is governed largely by bending of the Si-O-Si angle. The molecular dynamics simulations on hydrous NaSiO melts further suggest that the sodium ions are scavenged from its network-modifying role via 2(Si-O + Na) Si-(O-Si-O) + 2Na and Si-O + Na + Si-OH Si-(O-H-O-Si) + Na with increasing pressure.

Thermal conductivity evaluation of Am-doped oxide fuels

Yokoyama, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masashi; Onishi, Takashi; Yano, Yasuhide; Tokoro, Daishiro*; Sugata, Hiromasa*; Kato, Masato*

JAEA-Research 2025-002, 18 Pages, 2025/05

JAEA-Research-2025-002.pdf:1.73MB

It is advocated as a development target of fast reactors (FRs) to allow for the of use of mixed oxide (MOX) fuels containing minor actinide (MA) separated and recovered from spent fuels with the aim of reducing the volume and toxicity of high-level radioactive waste generated from nuclear reactors. In the development of MAMOX fuels, it is important behavior to understand the thermal properties such as thermal conductivity for fuel design and analysis of the irradiation. However, there are only a few reports on the thermal properties of MA-MOX fuels, and neither the effects of MA contents nor of oxygen non-stoichiometry in MOX fuels on their thermal conductivities have been fully understood. In this study, the thermal conductivities of MOX fuels with up to 15% Am content were measured at near-stoichiometric composition and the relationship between thermal conductivity and Am content was evaluated. Moreover, the thermal conductivities of Am-doped UO fuels were also measured and evaluated by comparison with Am-MOX to evaluate the effect of Am content. The fuel samples used in this study were three types of MOX with a Pu content of 30% and different Am contents (5%, 10%, and 15%), and UO containing 15% Am. The thermal conductivities of specimens were calculated from the thermal diffusivities measured by the laser flash method, the density of the specimens and, the heat capacity at constant pressure. The oxygen partial pressure during the measurement was controlled at that of the targeted near-stoichiometric composition. The thermal conductivities of all specimens exhibited a decline with increasing temperature and Am content, with a particularly pronounced reduction observed below 1,173 K. The results of the classical phonon scattering model analysis of the measured thermal conductivities showed that the effect of lattice strain due to the Am addition was significant on the thermal resistivity change, and the effect was comparable for both MOX and UO.

Three-dimensional localization and radioactivity quantification of radiation sources through inverse estimation based on Compton camera measurements

Sato, Yuki

Radiation Protection Dosimetry, p.ncaf046_1 - ncaf046_11, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1093/rpd/ncaf046

Crystal structures of ReO under hydrostatic pressure; A Combined neutron, X-ray, Raman, and first-principles calculation study

Efthimiopoulos, I.*; Klotz, S.*; Kunc, K.*; Baptiste, B.*; Chauvigne, P.*; Hattori, Takanori

Physical Review B, 111(13), p.134103_1 - 134103_13, 2025/04

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.111.134103

We present a comprehensive study of the high pressure behaviour of ReO using X-ray and neutron diffraction, Raman scattering and first-principles calculations to 15 GPa. We show that the ambient pressure structure converts at 0.7 GPa in a continuous phase transition directly to a cubic phase with space group and rhombohedral structures in this pressure range are an artifact due to an alteration of the sample by high-flux synchrotron X-ray radiation. The structural pressure dependence of the O samples are presented. The data shed light onto the unusual transition and densification mechanism due to progressive tilting of essentially rigid ReO octahedra.

Feasibility study of reactor radiation photon spectroscopy in Fugen for nuclear decommissioning

Kaburagi, Masaaki; Miyamoto, Yuta; Mori, Norimasa; Iwai, Hiroki; Tezuka, Masashi; Kurosawa, Shunsuke*; Tagawa, Akihiro; Takasaki, Koji

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, 62(3), p.308 - 316, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1080/00223131.2024.2417786

Effect of Am addition on oxygen potential in (UPuAm)O

Yokoyama, Keisuke; Watanabe, Masashi; Usui, Akane; Seki, Takayuki*; Onishi, Takashi; Kato, Masato

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 42, p.101908_1 - 101908_6, 2025/03

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2025.101908

Oxygen potential of high Am content MOX, (UPuAm)O, was measured at 1273 K, 1473 K, 1573 K, and 1623 K. by gas equilibrium method using thermogravimeter. Comparing the measured data with the literature data, it was found that the addition of 15% Am increases the oxygen potential of (U, Pu)O by 100-150 kJ/mol for the same Pu content and O/M ratio. The proportion of cations in the stoichiometric composition was determined as (UUPuAm)O, assuming the presence of Am and partial oxidation of U to U. The relationship between oxygen partial pressure and deviation x from stoichiometry in (UPuAm)O was analyzed by defect chemistry model. The equation to represent the O/M ratio was derived as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A part of this study includes the results of MEXT Innovative Nuclear Research and Development Program Grant Number JPMXD0219214921.

CFD analysis of thermal radiation effects on large containment CIGMA vessel with Weighted Sum of Gray Gases (WSGG) model

Hamdani, A.; Soma, Shu; Abe, Satoshi; Shibamoto, Yasuteru

Progress in Nuclear Science and Technology (Internet), 7, p.53 - 59, 2025/03

https://dx.doi.org/10.15669/pnst.7.53

Two-group drift-flux model for upward cap-bubbly two-phase flows in large square channels

Sun, Haomin; Hibiki, Takashi*

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 237, p.126445_1 - 126445_14, 2025/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2024.126445

Annual Report of Nuclear Human Resource Development Center (April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024)

Nuclear Human Resource Development Center

JAEA-Review 2024-048, 69 Pages, 2025/01

JAEA-Review-2024-048.pdf:3.5MB

This annual report summarizes the activities of Nuclear Human Resource Development Center(NuHRDeC) of Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) in the fiscal year (FY) 2023. In FY 2023, in addition to the regular training programs at NuHRDeC, we actively organized special training courses responding to the external training needs, cooperated with universities, offered international training courses for Asian countries, and promoted activities of the Japan Nuclear Human Resource Development Network (JN-HRD.net) and the human resource development concierge. Regular domestic training programs; training courses for radioisotopes and radiation engineers, nuclear energy engineers and national qualification examinations, were conducted as scheduled inthe annual plan. We also delivered training for other organizations outside the JAEA. We continued cooperative activities with universities, such as acceptance of postdoctoral researchers, and activities in line with the cooperative graduate school system, including the acceptance of students from Nuclear Professional School, the University of Tokyo. Furthermore, joint course among seven universities was successfully held by utilizing remote education system. The joint course and the intensive summer course and nuclear fuel cycle training were conducted as part of the collaboration network with universities. The Instructor Training Program (ITP) under the contract with Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, was continually offered to the ITP participating countries. As part of the ITP, the Instructor Training courses such as "Reactor Engineering Course", advanced instructor training course, and the nuclear technology seminar "Basic Radiation Knowledge for School Education" were conducted at NuHRDeC. As joint secretariat of JN-HRD.net, we steadily facilitated the network and actively held seminar, training, and facility tours for students.

Radiolytic stability of the TEHDGA-impregnated silica-based adsorbent for extraction chromatography

Miyazaki, Yasunori; Sano, Yuichi; Ishigami, Ryoya*

EPJ Web of Conferences, 317, p.01006_1 - 01006_7, 2025/01

https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202531701006

The gamma-ray and He ion beam (which is simulated for alpha-ray from Am, for example) were irradiated on the TEHDGA adsorbent to evaluate the hydrogen gas production, leaching amount of organics in the immersed 3 M HNO solution, thermal characteristics and speciation of the degradation products. These were combined to assess the safety of the 1st run of the MA separation process from the raffinate at a dose rate of 1 kGy/h.