Post irradiation examination of irradiated americium oxide and uranium dioxide in magnesium aluminate spinel

To study MgAl2O4 spinel as inert matrix material for the transmutation of minor actinides, two capsules were irradiated at the high flux reactor in Petten, containing 12.5 wt% micro-dispersed 241AmOx in spinel and 25 wt% micro-dispersed enriched UO2 in spinel. During irradiation, the initially present 241Am was converted for 99.8% to fission products (50%), plutonium (30%), curium (16%) and 243Am (4%). The UO2 spinel target experienced a burn-up of 32% fission per initial metal atom. The post irradiation examination of the AmOx inert matrix target showed swelling of 27 vol.%, and a gas release of 48% for He and 16% for Xe and Kr. The UO2 inert matrix target also showed a large volumetric swelling of 11%, directed mainly radially. Ceramography on the UO2 inert matrix target revealed a complete restructuring of the spinel grains upon irradiation and the absence of porosity, suggesting that amorphisation is the main cause of the swelling.