An experimental study using CeO2, ZrO2, and SUS316L powders as simulated nuclear fuel materials to examine the process of fuel debris formation


Samarkhanov K. Arita Y. Batyrbekov E. Vityuk V. Baklanov V. Baklanova Y. Sapatayev Y. Niino K. Tanaka S. Yoshikawa T.
January 2026Elsevier B.V.

Journal of Nuclear Materials
2026#619

The severe accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) involved high-temperature interactions between nuclear fuel and structural materials, resulting in the formation of nuclear fuel debris (NFD). Due to the high radiation hazard, direct investigation of NFD is not feasible, necessitating the use of simulated nuclear fuel debris (sim-debris) as an analogue in experimental studies. This work presents an experimental study on the synthesis and characterization of sim-debris. Sim-debris was synthesized using CeO2, ZrO2, and SUS316L powders in two stoichiometric ratios, selected to simulate differing material distributions observed in reactor environments during accidents. Experimental approaches included the formation of small-sized particles and molten-solidified debris formation under vacuum conditions. Comprehensive characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) allowed detailed analysis of sim-debris. In addition, a CeO2-ZrO2-Fe ternary phase diagram was plotted using the FactSage 8.3 program for thermodynamic modeling, providing insights into phase equilibria and reaction pathways under high-temperature scenarios, and offering new perspectives on debris formation mechanisms. These findings can inform strategies for the safe removal and processing of fuel debris, enhancing safety in nuclear material management during decommissioning.

Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant , Nuclear fuel debris , Severe accident, Decommissioning , Simulated debris

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Institute of Atomic Energy Branch of NNC RK, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan
The Research Institute of Nuclear Engineering, University of Fukui, Tsuruga, Japan
National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kurchatov, Kazakhstan

Institute of Atomic Energy Branch of NNC RK
The Research Institute of Nuclear Engineering
National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan

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