Abstract:The recent nuclear accident in Fukushima demonstrates that a nuclear mishap should be viewed using interdisciplinary tools. For example, the urania fuel melts not only because of enhanced neutron flux but also because its thermal conductivity degrades when it oxidizes. Here we present the application of first principles calculations to evaluate the structural, mechanical and thermal properties of traditional urania fuel and new, inherently safer thoria fuel. Knowledge of the lattice constants for higher oxidat… Show more
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