Chemical and ceramic methods for the safe storage of actinides using monazite. 1997 annual progress report

'Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Rockwell Science Center of Thousand Oaks, California, are carrying out a joint investigation of the chemical, physical, thermal, and radiation-resistance properties of the lanthanide orthophosphates (monazites) in both ceramic and single-crystal form with the objective of developing the scientific and technical base required for the application of these materials to the storage or disposal of actinide elements, including plutonium. An additional major objective of the research effort is to investigate the technical and scientific problems associated with the formation of both phase-pure monazite ceramics and multiphase monazite-ceramic composites for waste disposal or waste storage applications. These latter investigations encompass the development of low-temperature chemical synthesis routes for the formation of monoclinic monazite phases and the study of the densification properties of lanthanide orthophosphate powders to produce stable, high-density ceramics. Research Statement This research effort addresses several basic issues associated with the characteristics of lanthanide orthophosphates that make this class of materials extremely attractive candidates for application to the storage of actinide elements in general and plutonium in particular. Additionally, these materials are potentially important refractory ceramics in their own right, and many of the scientific issues addressed in this project are applicable to the development of what will constitute a new, highly stable family of ceramics for applications in a number of energy-related areas.