Pressure-driven solid-state radical polymerization toward carbon nanothread

Che, G.*; Tang, X.*; Liu, J.*; Lang, P.*; Fei, Y.*; Yang, X.*; Wang, Y.*; Gao, D.*; Wang, X.*; Ju, J.*; et al.

Nano Letters, 25(39), p.14467 - 14472, 2025/09

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.5c03977

Mechanochemical radical polymerization has unique advantages in the synthesis of polymer due to its reduced solvent consumption and adaptability of insoluble monomers. However, it suffers from the uncontrollable degradation of the formed polymers during reaction and new synthetic strategy with precise controllability needs to be developed. Here, by employing high static pressure up to 30 GPa, we found 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene undergoes radical polymerization by breaking the conjugated -bonds, and forms a carbon nanothread with high selectivity (Polymer-I polymorph). Based on the crystal structure at the threshold pressure and the calculated energy barriers for the bonding pathway, we concluded that the benzene-rings react via a 1-2 radical polymerization pathway. Our work highlights high pressure is a robust method to initiate the solid-state radical polymerization, even for very stable aromatics, and offers fresh insights for the synthesis of polymeric carbon-based materials with high selectivity.

Analysis of dissolved radionuclides trapped into corrosion products formed on carbon steel and the corresponding increase in radioactivity

Aoyama, Takahito; Ueno, Fumiyoshi; Sato, Tomonori; Kato, Chiaki; Sano, Naruto; Yamashita, Naoki; Otani, Kyohei; Igarashi, Takahiro

Annals of Nuclear Energy, 214, p.111229_1 - 111229_6, 2025/05

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anucene.2025.111229

Survey on research and development status of Japanese small modular reactors in OECD/NEA activities (2022-2023)

Takeda, Takeshi; Shibata, Taiju

JAEA-Review 2024-040, 29 Pages, 2024/09

JAEA-Review-2024-040.pdf:1.33MB

An important theme of Japan's 6th strategic energy plan is to indicate the energy policy path towards carbon neutrality by 2050. Policy responses for Japan's nuclear energy research and development (R&D) towards 2030 contain the demonstrations of technologies for small modular reactors (SMRs) through international cooperation by 2030. In light of this energy plan, basic policy initiatives over the next 10 years have been compiled to realize Green Transformation (GX), which simultaneously achieves decarbonization and economic growth. Looking overseas, activities of SMR R&D are active internationally, mainly in the US, Canada, Europe, China, and Russia. These activities are not only by heavy industry manufactures and R&D institutes, but also by venture companies. Under these circumstances, the NEA CSNI has gathered an Expert Group on SMRs (EGSMR) to help estimate the safety effects of SMRs. The EGSMR efforts required the submission of responses to several questionnaires whose main purpose was to collect the latest information on the efforts of SMR deployment and research. The first author of this report responded to this based on information from Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. as well as JAEA. Most of the responses from Japan to the questionnaires are the information that serves as the basis of CSNI Technical Opinion Paper No. 21 (TOP-21). In this report, the Japan's publicly available responses to the questionnaires arranged and additional information are explained, which complements some of the content of the TOP-21. In this manner, the investigation results of R&D related to SMR in Japan, focusing on the EGSMR activities (2022-2023), are summarized. The target of this report is to provide useful information for future discussions on international cooperation concerning SMR as well as nuclear power field human resources development internationally and domestically.

Trivalent lanthanide sorption onto illite in the presence of carbonate; A Study combining thermodynamic sorption modeling, time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy, and parallel factor analysis

Sugiura, Yuki; Ishidera, Takamitsu; Aoyagi, Noboru; Mei, H.; Saito, Takumi*; Tachi, Yukio

Applied Clay Science, 258, p.107476_1 - 107476_10, 2024/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clay.2024.107476

Retention of hydrogen bubbles generated from water radiolysis in carbonate slurry

Ito, Tatsuya; Nagaishi, Ryuji; Kuwano, Ryo*

Nuclear Technology, 210(8), p.1427 - 1443, 2024/08

https://doi.org/10.1080/00295450.2023.2299893

The retention of hydrogen (H) bubbles generated by water radiolysis was quantitatively studied in a high-viscous suspension of carbonate slurry consisting of a mixture of suspended solid (SS) of magnesium and calcium precipitates under strongly alkaline conditions, like the radioactive wastes discharged from the coagulation sedimentation (co-precipitation) process at the multinuclide removal equipment in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. The H retention properties were evaluated in two types of carbonate slurry with different hydrophilicity: the hydrophilic "current type" and the hydrophobic "return type". Then, their properties were compared with those in another suspension of clay suspension of bentonite. From the comparison between the amounts of chemical adsorption and HO in the slurry, it was confirmed that HO molecules must be shared among the SS particles, and this sharing formed the structural viscosity in the slurry, different from that in the clay suspension where electrostatic bonding between the fine clay minerals forms the viscosity. The retention of H bubbles in (by) the slurry was evaluated from the difference in the amount of H observed with and without stirring the slurry after Co -irradiation. From the comparison of the retention properties of the hydrophilic slurry, the hydrophobic slurry, the clay suspension, and treated water, it was suggested that H bubbles were retained not only by the structural viscosity but also by the steric hindrance in the hydrophilic slurry.

Characteristic microstructural phase evolution and the compressive strength development mechanisms of tricalcium silicate pastes under various initial carbonation curing environments

Cho, S.*; Suh, H.*; Im, S.*; Kim, G.*; Kanematsu, Manabu*; Morooka, Satoshi; Machida, Akihiko*; Shobu, Takahisa; Bae, S.*

Construction and Building Materials, 409, p.133866_1 - 133866_20, 2023/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2023.133866

Effect of preparation conditions and storage time on characteristic and rheological properties of carbonate slurries

Kato, Tomoaki; Yamagishi, Isao

JAEA-Technology 2023-018, 53 Pages, 2023/11

JAEA-Technology-2023-018.pdf:2.6MB

In the decommissioning of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, radioactive carbonate slurry waste was generated using the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) pretreatment and temporarily stored in a high integrity container (HIC). In 2015, overflow of supernatant from HIC estimate as bubble retention in the carbonate slurry was discovered, increasing the need for a safety assessment of the carbonate slurry stored the HIC (HIC slurry). In this study, a carbonate slurry (simulated slurry) was prepared according to the Mg/Ca mass ratio in the ALPS inlet water of the HIC slurry which overflew the HIC. The effects of reaction time during the pretreatment process, suspended solids concentration (SS concentration), and settling time on the particle composition, morphology and rheological properties of the slurry were investigated. Evaluating the effect of reaction time and concentration process on chemical properties in slurry production, the effect of the reaction time was not confirmed in the simulated slurry that had undergone the concentration process, and slurry prepared at SS concentration of 150 g/L was composed of formless particles have a particle diameter of 0.4 m or less. We also investigate the effect of SS concentration on sedimentability, decrease in SS concentration by dilution with processing solution contributed to an increase in the initial slurry settling velocity. Furthermore, two different flow characteristics were observed depending on the settling time, suggesting that the slurry at the initial settling time has non-Bingham flow properties, whereas it changes to Bingham flow properties as the settling time becomes longer. In addition, yield stress was increased with settling time, and this yield stress was found to be exponentially proportional to the density of the slurry. These results provide knowledge to estimate the current state of HIC slurry and are expected to contribute to the safety assessment.

Tracking the behavior and characteristics of microplastics using a multi-analytical approach; A Case study in two contrasting coastal areas of Japan

Battulga, B.; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Matsueda, Makoto; Koarashi, Jun

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(31), p.77226 - 77237, 2023/05

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-28005-x

The global survey for the presence of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments has attracted widespread scientific attention over the past decade. This study demonstrates a multidimensional analytical approach, including isotopic and thermogravimetric analyses to evaluate characteristics and behavior of MPs in the environment. The MP samples were collected in two contrasting coastal areas of Japan. The C values of field-collected polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) MPs were ranged from -25.6 to -31.4, -23.4 to -30.9, and -27.3 to -28.6 per mil, respectively. The differences in C signature between MPs with the same polymer types (i.e., PE and PP) but different colors. Through thermal analysis, the single-step endothermic process was observed for environmental PE and PS-MPs. The results reveal that degradation may play a significant role in the behavior and characteristics of MP debris in the aquatic environment.

Quantitative evaluation of long-term state changes of contaminated reinforced concrete considering the actual environments for rational disposal (Contract research); FY2021 Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project

Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science; The University of Tokyo*

JAEA-Review 2022-057, 98 Pages, 2023/02

JAEA-Review-2022-057.pdf:8.5MB

The Collaborative Laboratories for Advanced Decommissioning Science (CLADS), Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), had been conducting the Nuclear Energy Science & Technology and Human Resource Development Project (hereafter referred to "the Project") in FY2021. The Project aims to contribute to solving problems in the nuclear energy field represented by the decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Inc. (TEPCO). For this purpose, intelligence was collected from all over the world, and basic research and human resource development were promoted by closely integrating/collaborating knowledge and experiences in various fields beyond the barrier of conventional organizations and research fields. The sponsor of the Project was moved from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology to JAEA since the newly adopted proposals in FY2018. On this occasion, JAEA constructed a new research system where JAEA-academia collaboration is reinforced and medium-to-long term research/development and human resource development contributing to the decommissioning are stably and consecutively implemented. Among the adopted proposals in FY2020, this report summarizes the research results of the "Quantitative evaluation of long-term state changes of contaminated reinforced concrete considering the actual environments for rational disposal" conducted in FY2021. The present study aims to construct a database for quantitative prediction of contaminated reinforced concrete inside the reactor building. In FY2021, data on deformation and water movement caused by drying and reabsorption of mortar were obtained to evaluate the mesoscale cracking behavior of concrete. A rigidbody spring model was used to develop a program that can consider changes in concrete age and temperature, water, and stress conditions. To evaluate the long-term penetration behavior of radionuclides into the factual matrix, data on sorption …

A New approach to extracting biofilm from environmental plastics using ultrasound-assisted syringe treatment for isotopic analyses

Battulga, B.; Atarashi-Andoh, Mariko; Nakanishi, Takahiro; Koarashi, Jun

Science of the Total Environment, 849, p.157758_1 - 157758_11, 2022/11

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157758

Characterizing plastic-associated biofilms is key to the better understanding of organic material and mineral cycling in the "Plastisphere"-the thin layer of microbial life on plastics. In this study, we propose a new method to extract biofilms from environmental plastics, in order to evaluate the properties of biofilm-derived organic matter through stable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) isotope signatures and their interactions with radionuclides especially radiocesium (Cs). After ultrasound-assisted separation from the plastics, biofilm samples were successfully collected via a sequence of syringe treatments. Biofilm-derived organic matter samples (14.5-65.4 mg) from four river mouths in Japan showed Cs activity concentrations of 75 to 820 Bq kg biofilm (dw), providing evidence that environmental plastics, mediated by developed biofilms, serve as a carrier for Cs in the coastal environment. Significant differences in the (C and N signatures were also obtained for the biofilms, indicating the different sources, pathways, and development processes of biofilms on plastics.