Examination of the short-range structure of molten salts

ThF4, UF4, and related alkali actinide fluoride systems

Journal article (2021)

Authors

J.A. Ocadiz flores RST/Reactor Physics and Nuclear Materials - AS
Aimen E. Gheribi Polytechnique Montreal
J. Vlieland RST/Technici Pool - AS
D.W. de Haas RST/Technici Pool - AS
Kathy Dardenne Karlsruhe Institut für Technologie
Jörg Rothe Karlsruhe Institut für Technologie
R. Konings RST/Reactor Physics and Nuclear Materials - AS , European Commission Joint Research Centre
A.L. Smith RST/Reactor Physics and Nuclear Materials - AS
Research Group
RST/Reactor Physics and Nuclear Materials (AS) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2021 J.A. Ocadiz flores, A. E. Gheribi, J. Vlieland, D.W. de Haas, K. Dardenne, J. Rothe, R. Konings, A.L. Smith
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cp00566a
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Published Date

2021

Language

English

Faculty

Applied Sciences

Department

RST/Radiation, Science and Technology

Research Group

RST/Reactor Physics and Nuclear Materials

Abstract

The short-range structures of LiF-ThF4, NaF-AnF4, KF-AnF4, and Cs-AnF4 (An = Th, U), were probed using in situ high temperature Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Signally, the EXAFS spectra of pure molten ThF4 and UF4 were measured for the first time. The data were interpreted with the aid of Molecular Dynamics (MD) and standard fitting of the EXAFS equation. As in related studies, a speciation distribution dominated by [AnFx]4-x (x = 7, 8, 9) coordination complexes was observed. The average coordination number was found to decrease with the increasing size of the alkali cation, and increase with AnF4 content. An average coordination number close to 6, which had not been detected before in melts of alkali actinide fluorides, was seen when CsF was used as solvent. This journal is