Structural investigation of the pseudo-ternary system AmO2–Cm2O3–ZrO2 as potential materials for transmutation

The present work describes our investigations of the AmO2–Cm2O3–ZrO2 system. Selected compositions were prepared using an aqueous route and keeping the Cm/Am ratio constant at 20%. Depending of the compositions, two cubic systems were observed, fluorite- or pyrochlore-type. In the compounds synthesized, curium is present as a trivalent ion but americium may be either in an oxidation state of (IV) or (III), depending of the content of zirconia.