Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 109, Issue 6, Pages 1874-1877Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1119758109
Keywords
calorimetry; actinyl peroxide; actinide; uranium; spent fuel
Categories
Funding
- Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences [DE-SC0001089]
- Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration [DE-AC04-94AL85000]
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The Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear accident brought together compromised irradiated fuel and large amounts of seawater in a high radiation field. Based on newly acquired thermochemical data for a series of uranyl peroxide compounds containing charge-balancing alkali cations, here we show that nanoscale cage clusters containing as many as 60 uranyl ions, bonded through peroxide and hydroxide bridges, are likely to form in solution or as precipitates under such conditions. These species will enhance the corrosion of the damaged fuel and, being thermodynamically stable and kinetically persistent in the absence of peroxide, they can potentially transport uranium over long distances.
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