Effect of Gadolinium Doping on the Air Oxidation of Uranium Dioxide

Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) investigated the effects of gadolinia concentration on the air oxidization of gadolinia-doped uranium dioxide using thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry to determine if such doping could improve uranium dioxide's stability as a nuclear fuel during potential accident scenarios in a nuclear reactor or during long-term disposal. We undertook this study to determine whether the resistance of the uranium dioxide to oxidation to the orthorhombic U3O8 with its attendant crystal expansion could be prevented by addition of gadolinia. Our studies found that gadolinium has little effect on the thermal initiation of the first step of the reported two-step air oxidation of UO2; however, increasing gadolinia content does stabilize the initial tetragonal or cubic product allowing significant oxidation before the second expansive step to U3O8 begins