Uranium oxide-based dual phase composite targets for the production of radioactive ion beams
Introduction
Isotope Separation On-Line (ISOL) technique produces radioisotopes by proton irradiation of a target material, which, in this study is uranium dioxide. The radioisotopes are evaporated from the target at high temperatures (typically in the range of ~2000 °C) and diffuse out of the bulk. Then, they are ionized, extracted and accelerated towards a magnetic mass separator for mass purification before being delivered to the end-users. The high temperatures operation (≈ 2000 °C) during irradiation causes the sintering, closing the open porosity of the target material, which hinders the release of the radioisotope isotopes. In order to hinder the sintering of uranium oxide it is suggested to homogeneously mix it with a second phase, i.e. another refractory oxide, that must have limited mutual solubility and be chemically inert in the operation conditions of ISOL targets (e.g. vacuum and high temperatures).
Objectives
The aim of this master thesis is to obtain a porous composite made of uranium oxide and another oxide compound to be selected, which is stable in ISOL operating conditions at the highest possible temperature. For this, the student must:
1) make a literature research on uranium oxide and immiscible oxides in uranium oxide;
2) create composite materials by doing a solid mixture of uranium oxide with the selected candidate oxides;
3) investigate the sintering behaviour of the created composites at high temperatures and make a full characterization.
Le niveau de diplôme minimum du candidat
- Academic bachelor
Les connaissances préexistantes nécessaires
- Chemistry
Materials Science/Engineering