Ion distribution models for defect fluorite ZrO2 - AO1.5 (A = Ln, Y) solid solutions : II: Thermodynamics of mixing and ordering

Thermodynamic mixing properties of AxB1-xO2-0.5xV0.5x, fluorite-type solid solutions (B = Zr, A = {Nd-Yb, Y}, V = oxygen vacancy) are modelled as functions of four parameters, ΔH1, ΔH2, ΔH3 and ΔH4, which correspond to the enthalpy effects of the reactions 6A + 8B = 7A + 7B (1), 6A + 8B = 8A + 6B (2), 6B + 8B = 7B + 7B (3) and 6A + 8A = 7A + 7A (4), involving six cation species, 6A, 7A, 8A, 6B, 7B and 8B. The model predicts that the disordered configuration containing all cation species evolves with the decreasing temperature such that 6-fold coordinated cations tend to vanish within 0 ≤ x ≤ 1/2 domain, while 8-fold coordinated cations become extinct within 1/2 ≤ x ≤ 1 domain. The further evolution within the intervals of 0 ≤ x ≤ 1/3, 1/3 ≤ x ≤ 1/2, 1/2 ≤ x ≤ 2/3 and 2/3 ≤ x ≤ 1 favours the extinction of 7A, 8B, 7B and 6A cation species, respectively. With the further decrease in the temperature 6-fold B and 8-fold A cations reappear within the domains of 1/3 ≤ x ≤ 1/2 and 1/2 ≤ x ≤ 2/3 via the reaction 7A + 7B = 8A + 6B. The configurational entropy reduces along with these transformations. The model fits structural and calorimetric data on Zr-based AxB1-xO2-0.5xV0.5x systems and provides hints to understanding of ionic conductivity and radiation susceptibility data

Thermodynamic and Structural Modelling of Non-Stoichiometric Ln-Doped UO2 Solid Solutions,Ln = {La, Pr, Nd, Gd}

Available data on the dependence of the equilibrium chemical potential of oxygen on degrees of doping, z, and non-stoichiometry, x, y, in U1-zLnzO2+0.5(x-y) fluorite solid solutions and data on the dependence of the lattice parameter, a, on the same variables are combined within a unified structural-thermodynamic model. The thermodynamic model fits experimental isotherms of the oxygen potential under the assumptions of a non-ideal mixing of the endmembers, UO2, UO2.5, UO1.5, LnO1.5, and Ln0.5U0.5O2, and of a significant reduction in the configurational entropy arising from short-range ordering (SRO) within cation-anion distributions. The structural model further investigates the SRO in terms of constraints on admissible values of cation coordination numbers and, building on these constraints, fits the lattice parameter as a function of z, y, and x. Linking together the thermodynamic and structural models allows predicting the lattice parameter as a function of z, T and the oxygen partial pressure. The model elucidates contrasting structural and thermodynamic changes due to the doping with LaO1.5, on the one hand, and with NdO1.5 and GdO1.5, on the other hand. An increased oxidation resistance in the case of Gd and Nd is attributed to strain effects caused by the lattice contraction due to the doping and to an increased thermodynamic cost of a further contraction required by the oxidation

Composition dependent order-disorder transition in Ndx_{x}Zr1−x_{1−x}O2−0.5x_{2−0.5x} pyrochlores: A combined structural, calorimetric and ab initio modeling study

The order-disorder phase transition in the NdxZr1−xO2−0.5x system is studied by complementary techniques which include wet chemical synthesis of a series of compositions with various Nd/Zr ratios with the final annealing at 1873 K, X-ray diffraction, oxide melt solution calorimetry and ab initio thermodynamic modeling. Our structural data indicate the transition from ordered to disordered pyrochlore at x ∼0.31 at a temperature of 1873 K. Our calorimetric data show a transition enthalpy of ∼30 kJ/mol, which corresponds to an entropy of disordering of ∼16 J/K/mol. The latter value is significantly smaller than the configurational entropy of transition computed under the assumption of complete disorder in a fluorite phase, indicating a substantial degree of order remaining in the fluorite phase at the temperature of synthesis. The considered phases are computed ab initio using a series of special quasi-random structures that emulate the complete or partial disorder. The results of our calculations and thermodynamic modeling are in good agreement with the measured lattice parameters, the Nd content at the order-disorder transition, and the measured formation and transformation enthalpies. Thus our combined experimental and modeling results provide valuable insight into the disordering of this pyrochlore phase and of other pyrochlore materials