Contact

Prof. Dr. Nina Maria Huittinen

Head Solid State Chemistry of Radionuclides
n.huittinenhzdr.de
Phone: +49 351 260 2148

Social Media

AcE: Fundamental investigations of Actinide immobilization by incorporation into solid phasEs relevant for final disposal

AcE: Grundlegende Untersuchungen zur Immobilisierung von Actiniden mittels Einbau in endlagerrelevante Festphasen

Finanaced by: German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Funding period: 01.01.2021 – 31.12.2023

Grant number: 02NUK060

About the project

The AcE project aims to understand the incorporation and immobilization of actinides (An) in crystalline, repository-relevant solid phases at the atomic level. Investigated solid materials include various Zr(IV)-bearing phases such as zircon (ZrSiO₄), zirconia (ZrO₂), and pyrochlore (Ln₂Zr₂O₇), as well as structurally related UO₂-based materials with fluorite structure, and lanthanide (Ln-)orthophosphates of the monazite type (LnPO₄). These solid phases are of relevance in the corrosion of the Zircaloy cladding surrounding spent nuclear fuels rods, or they are envisioned as ceramic hosts for the immobilization and safe disposal of specific actinide-bearing waste streams generated in the late stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. Furthermore, UO₂-based materials will be investigated in the context of spent nuclear fuel final disposal of which such materials form a key component of.

The main objectives of the AcE project are (i) the development of synthesis strategies for primarily An(IV)-doped solid phases, (ii) understanding their associated structural and physical properties using combined atomistic and experimental approaches and (iii) determining their performance after irradiation with particular regard to assessment of their long-term stability, dissolution behavior, and suitability for An matrix incorporation.

Novel approaches to improve the safe management of radioactive waste will be explored during the course of this project, which will contribute to the evaluation of innovative disposal strategies and extend the knowledge regarding the fate of actinides during long-term disposal in underground repositories.

Finally, an important aspect of the project is to contribute to the maintenance and extension of expertise and in-depth understanding of radionuclide immobilization in the field of radioactive waste management by educating and supporting pre- and postgraduate students and early career scientists.

Project partners

	Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology Dr. Nina Huittinen (project coordination) Dr. Christoph Hennig Dr. Volodymyr Svitlyk M.Sc. Luiza Braga Ferreira dos Santos
	Rheinisch–Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University Institute of Crystallography Priv.-Doz. Dr. Lars Peters (vice coordinator) M.Sc. Theresa Lender
	Rheinisch–Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen University Institute of Mineral Engineering Dr. Thorsten Tonnesen M.Sc. Jonas Nießen
	Forschungszentrum Jülich Nuclear Waste Management and Reactor Safety Dr. Gabriel Murphy
	Goethe-Universität Frankfurt Institute of Geosciences Prof. Bjoern Winkler Dr. Julien Marquardt

Publications

Peer-reviewed journal articles

2024

Investigation of radiation damage in the monazite-type solid solution La1-xCexPO4

Lender, T.; Murphy, G.; Bazarkina, E.; Bukaemskiy, A.; Gilson, S.; Henkes, M.; Hennig, C.; Kaspor, A.; Marquardt, J.; Nießen, J.; Peters, L.; Poonoosamy, J.; Roßberg, A.; Svitlyk, V.; Kvashnina, K.; Huittinen, N. M.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265
Ion Beam Center DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 39114) publication
DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159 is cited by this (Id 39114) publication

Inorganic Chemistry 63(2024)38, 17525-17535
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c02041
Cited 2 times in Scopus

Microstructural Investigation of Au Ion-Irradiated Eu-Doped LaPO4 Ceramics and Single Crystals

Gilson, S.; Svitlyk, V.; Bukaemskiy, A. A.; Niessen, J.; Lender, T.; Murphy, G. L.; Henkes, M.; Lippold, H.; Marquardt, J.; Akhmadaliev, S.; Hennig, C.; Winkler, B.; Tonnesen, T.; Peters, L.; Fischer, C.; Huittinen, N. M.

Involved research facilities

Ion Beam Center DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159

Related publications

DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159 is cited by this (Id 38869) publication

npj Materials Degradation 8(2024), 83
DOI: 10.1038/s41529-024-00504-3

Phase composition and stability of Gd2-xThxZrO7 under extreme conditions

Svitlyk, V.; Weiß, S.; Gabarono, G.; Hübner, R.; Worbs, A.; Huittinen, N. M.; Hennig, C.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 38754) publication

Zeitschrift für Kristallographie 239(2024)5-6, 199-205
DOI: 10.1515/zkri-2024-0066

Probing the Long- and Short-Range Structural Chemistry in the C-Type Bixbyite Oxides Th0.40Nd0.48Ce0.12O1.76, Th0.47Nd0.43Ce0.10O1.785 and Th0.45Nd0.37Ce0.18O1.815 via Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction and Absorption Spectroscopy

Murphy, G. L.; Bazarkina, E.; Svitlyk, V.; Roßberg, A.; Potts, S.; Hennig, C.; Henkes, M.; Kvashnina, K.; Huittinen, N. M.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 38737) publication

ACS Omega 9(2024)25, 27397-27406
DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c02200

Investigation of cerium as a surrogate for tetravalent actinides in monazite-type compounds

Lender, T.; Bazarkina, E.; Kvashnina, K.; Huittinen, N. M.; Peters, L.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 38736) publication

Journal of Solid State Chemistry 338(2024), 124784
DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2024.124784
Cited 1 times in Scopus

The lattice contraction of UO2 from Cr doping as determined via high resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction

Murphy, G. L.; Svitlyk, V.; Henkes, M.; Sirochii, D.; Hennig, C.; Kegler, P.; Bosbach, D.; Bukaemskiy, A.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 38630) publication

Journal of Nuclear Materials 595(2024), 155046
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2024.155046
Cited 3 times in Scopus

Optimizing synthesis strategies for the production of single-phase zirconates with Ce and Nd co-doping

Richter, S.; Gilson, S.; Braga Ferreira Dos Santos, L.; Huittinen, N. M.

MRS Advances 9(2024), 439-443
DOI: 10.1557/s43580-024-00789-1
Cited 2 times in Scopus

Optimisation of synthesis procedures and structural investigation of monazite-cheralite solid solutions

Lender, T.; Braga Ferreira Dos Santos, L.; Gericke, R.; Huittinen, N. M.; Peters, L.

MRS Advances 9(2024), 433-438
DOI: 10.1557/s43580-024-00792-6
Cited 1 times in Scopus

Grazing incidence synchrotron radiation diffraction studies on irradiated Ce-doped and pristine Y-stabilized ZrO2 at the Rossendorf Beamline

Svitlyk, V.; Braga Ferreira Dos Santos, L.; Niessen, J.; Gilson, S.; Marquardt, J.; Findeisen, S.; Richter, S.; Akhmadaliev, S.; Huittinen, N. M.; Hennig, C.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265
Ion Beam Center DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159

Related publications

DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159 is cited by this (Id 37717) publication
DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 37717) publication

Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 31(2024)2, 355-362
DOI: 10.1107/S1600577524000304
Cited 3 times in Scopus

2023

Investigations towards incorporation of Eu3+ and Cm3+ during ZrO2 crystallization in aqueous solution

Opitz, L.; Hübner, R.; Shams Aldin Azzam, S.; Gilson, S.; Finkeldei, S. C.; Huittinen, N. M.

Involved research facilities

Ion Beam Center DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159

Related publications

DOI: 10.17815/jlsrf-3-159 is cited by this (Id 36878) publication

Scientific Reports 13(2023), 12276
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39143-0
Cited 3 times in Scopus

Deconvoluting Cr States in Cr-Doped UO2 Nuclear Fuels via Bulk and Single Crystal Spectroscopic Studies

Murphy, G. L.; Gericke, R.; Gilson, S.; Bazarkina, E.; Roßberg, A.; Kaden, P.; Thümmler, R.; Klinkenberg, M.; Henkes, M.; Kegler, P.; Svitlyk, V.; Marquardt, J.; Lender, T.; Hennig, C.; Kvashnina, K.; Huittinen, N. M.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 35473) publication
Data publication: Deconvoluting Cr States in Cr-Doped UO2 Nuclear Fuels via …
ROBIS: 36731 HZDR-primary research data are used by this (Id 35473) publication

Nature Communications 14(2023), 2455
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38109-0
Cited 9 times in Scopus

2022

Stability of doped zirconia under extreme conditions: towards long-term and secure storage of radioactive waste

Svitlyk, V.; Weiß, S.; Hennig, C.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 34685) publication

Journal of the American Ceramic Society 105(2022), 7831-7839
DOI: 10.1111/jace.18735
Cited 10 times in Scopus

Immobilization of radiotoxic elements with Y-stabilized zirconia: the Thorium case

Svitlyk, V.; Weiß, S.; Hennig, C.

Involved research facilities

Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265

Related publications

DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 33653) publication

Journal of the American Ceramic Society 105(2022), 5975-5983
DOI: 10.1111/jace.18543
Cited 4 times in Scopus

Theses

Selina Richter (2022) “Synthesis and Characterization of Lanthanide and Actinide Zirconates”, Bachelor thesis, Technische Universität Dresden
Lucas Opitz (2021) "Interactions of Ln (Ce, Eu, Gd) and Cm with ZrO(OH)₂ and their incorporation into m ZrO₂", Master’s thesis, Technische Universität Dresden