Efttra irradiation experiments for the development of fuels and targets for transmutation

The EFTTRA collaboration (Experimental Feasibility of Targets for Transmutation) between CEA (France), ECN (The Netherlands), EDF (France), FZK (Germany), IAM and ITU (European Commission) was launched in 1992, with the aim of performing joint experiments for the study of materials for the transmutation. Irradiations have started in parallel in the Phenix fast reactor in France, and in the high flux thermal reactor HFR the Netherlands. One of these experiments, concerning technetium and iodine, has been completed; post-irradiation examinations of the Tc metallic samples are performed by ECN, CEA and ITU, and a summary of the last results is presented. The other on-going EFTTRA experiments are described, with a report on the application of fabrication methods for matrices with up to 10% americium content. Finally, some considerations on the strategies for americium are given. (authors)