Dissolution behavior of plutonium containing zirconia–magnesia ceramics

Abstract This study explores the dissolution properties of zirconia–magnesia ceramics containing plutonium as the basis of an inert matrix nuclear fuel. The magnesium oxide phase remains pure MgO, while the zirconia incorporates a small amount of magnesium oxide along with all of the plutonium oxide and erbium oxide. The performance of the material under reactor and repository environments was examined. Reactor conditions are examined using a pressure vessel to expose the material to 300 °C water. To assess the performance of the material as a waste form it was submerged in 90 °C water for 1000 h. In both aqueous dissolution studies there was minimal release of less than 0.8 wt.% of plutonium from the material. To examine the potential for recycling, the dissolution behavior of the fuel matrix was examined in acidic solutions: pure nitric acid and a nitric acid–hydrofluoric acid–peroxide solution. Both acidic media exhibit potential for dissolving plutonium from the zirconia matrix. The experiments performed in this study are meant to lay a foundation for the chemical performance of zirconia–magnesia inert matrix fuel containing fissile material and burnable poison.