Development of new Potassium-ion cells with high performances and low environmental impact
Lithium ion batteries are considered as the reference system in terms of energy density and cycle life and will play a key role in the energetic transition, especially concerning electric vehicles. However, such a technology involves the use of a large amount of critical elements and active materials are synthesised using energy intensive processes.
In this way, our team is developing a new Potassium-ion batteries technology with high performances but with a low environmental impact.
For this innovative and ambitious project, CEA-LITEN (one of the most important research institute in Europe) is looking for a talented post-doctoral researcher in material chemistry. The post-doctoral position is opened for a young researcher with a high scientific level, interested by valorising her/his results through different patents and/or scientific publications.
Influence of laser bandwidth and wavelength on laser plasma instabilities
As part of the Taranis project initiated by Thales and supported by BPI France and in collaboration with numerous scientific partners such as CEA/DAM, CELIA and LULI, work on target design and definition of the laser intended to energy production in direct drive will take place. A prerequisite for this work is to understand the laser-plasma interaction mechanisms that will occur when the laser is coupled with the target. These deleterious mechanisms for the success of fusion experiments can be regulated by the use of so-called “broadband” lasers. In addition, the choice of the laser wavelength used for the target design and the laser architecture must be defined. The objective of the postdoctoral position is to study the growth and evolution of these instabilities (Brillouin, Raman) in the presence of “broadband” lasers both from an experimental and simulation point of view, and thus to be able to define the laser conditions making it possible to reduce these parametric instabilities.
Separation microsystem coupled to mass spectrometry for on-line purification and characterisation of nuclear samples
The miniaturisation of analytical steps commonly carried out in laboratories offers many advantages and particularly in the nuclear sector, where the reduction of material consumption and waste production is of major interest. In this context, one of our laboratory’s focus area is the miniaturisation of analytical tools, particularly chromatographic separation techniques. The aim of this project is to reduce the scale of the purification steps of nuclear samples by solid phase extraction chromatography, prior to the analytical processes. Obtaining these miniaturised extraction devices is based on the in situ synthesis and anchoring of monoliths, in the channels of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) microsystems. Since this material is chemically inert, COC functionalisation strategies are currently under development to covalently graft reactive sites on its surface, before locally anchoring actinide-specific monoliths in the micro-channels. The aim is to design and fabricate chromatographic extraction microsystems in COC, and to implement them for chemical purification and mass spectrometry measurements, both off-line and on-line.
Experimental and technological developments of a process for the mineralization of organic liquid waste by plasma
The ELIPSE process developed at the CEA allows the destruction of organic liquids by injection into a high-power plasma.
If the feasibility of destroying different organic components at flow rates of a few liters per hour has now been demonstrated, tests must now be further developed for reference organic liquids appropriately chosen according to existing deposits.
These studies, based on the characterization data of the chosen LORs, will aim to provide detailed process results obtained with the most representative operating conditions, to allow a complete and quantitative evaluation of the process. This will make it possible to establish operating, robustness and endurance data for the process.
This work will include the study of the behavior of radioelements in the process, which will be essential for the nuclearization study: this will involve studying the physico-chemical behavior of actinides during their processing via the use of inactive simulants.
Calculation of the thermal conductivity of UO2 fuel and the influence of irradiation defects
Atomistic simulations of the behaviour of nuclear fuel under irradiation can give access to its thermal properties and their evolution with temperature and irradiation. Knowledge of the thermal conductivity of 100% dense oxide can now be obtained by molecular dynamics and the interatomic force constants[1] at the single crystal scale, but the effect of defects induced by irradiation (irradiation loop, cluster of gaps) or even grain boundaries (ceramic before irradiation) remain difficult to evaluate in a coupled way.
The ambition is now to include defects in the supercells and to calculate their effect on the force constants. Depending on the size of the defects considered, we will use either the DFT or an empirical or numerical potential to perform the molecular dynamics. AlmaBTE allows the calculation of phonon scattering by point defects [2] and the calculation of phonon scattering by dislocations and their transmission at an interface have also recently been implemented. Thus, the chaining atomistic calculations/AlmaBTE will make it possible to determine the effect of the polycrystalline microstructure and irradiation defects on the thermal conductivity. At the end of this post-doc, the properties obtained will be used in the existing simulation tools in order to estimate the conductivity of a volume element (additional effect of the microstructure, in particular of the porous network, FFT method), data which will finally be integrated into the simulation of the behavior of the fuel element under irradiation.
The work will be carried out at the Nuclear Fuel Department of the CEA, in a scientific environment characterised by a high level of expertise in materials modelling, in close collaboration with other CEA teams in Grenoble and in the Paris region who are experts in atomistic calculations. The results will be promoted through scientific publications and participation in international congresses.
References:
[1] Bottin, F., Bieder, J., Bouchet, J. A-TDE
Thermodynamic investigation of Metal-Insulator-Transition materials – The case of doped VO2 for smart windows applications
The present post-doc proposal aims to develop a specific thermodynamic database on the V-O-TM (TM=Fe,Cr) system by using the CALPHAD approach. The candidate will conduct experimental campaigns to obtain relevant data to feed the thermodynamic models. The candidate will mostly use the experimental equipment available at the lab (DTA, annealing furnaces, high temperature mass spectrometry, laser heating, SEM-EDS). In addition, the post-doc may participate to combinatorial high-throughput activities led by other laboratory of the Hiway-2-Mat consortium (e.g., ICMCB in Bordeaux), allowing a better connection between the CALPHAD simulation output and the accelerated characterization platform. The thermodynamic database will be then included in the autonomous research routine implemented in the material exploration path.
Role of metal containers on the alteration of high-level waste confinement glasses in geological storage conditions: glass-iron interactions in hydrogen-tight reactors
Vitrified waste resulting from nuclear power plant fuel reprocessing, as well as their steel containers and overpacks, are intended for permanent storage in deep geological layers. Water will be the vector of glass alteration and potential migration of radioactive elements. The most advanced storage concept to date provides for the glass package to be protected for its thermal decay step from interaction with water by an unalloyed steel overpack. However, whether in the form of metallic iron or corrosion products of steels (oxides, carbonates, sulfides), iron plays a significant role in glass alteration.
The objective of this work is to understand and quantify the mechanisms of glass-iron interaction in order to strengthen the operational models for waste package performance. To this end, a bench of ten hydrogen-tight instrumented reactors has been developed in the laboratory. It has allowed the implementation of a first series of long-term experiments of several months, which concerned a non-radioactive model glass and a iron carbonate. The objective will be to carry out these interaction experiments using metallic iron this time, to characterize the sampled solutions and neoformed alteration products, and to interpret the experiments using the modeling tools available in the laboratory.
Behavior of materials in molten salts
Access to clean and affordable Energy is a key challenge in the current context of climate emergency. Several leads have been considered for several years but technological issues remain up to date to make it happen. From concentrated solar plant to 4th generation of nuclear reactor, molten salt is a promising media (both for heat transfer fluid and the fuel itself). Nevertheless, due to the presence of impurities, molten salts are highly corrosive for commonly used materials.
Most of the commercial alloys - either nickel based or iron base - seems to suffer from rapid attack. It is then needed to broaden the scope of the studies by investigating innovative materials. Thus, a screening of materials is planned to select the most interesting ones. After a thorough filtering, a study of the corrosion mechanism will be carried out through analysis at different scales (SEM, DRX, SDL, ICP, etc … )as well via electrochemical techniques and thermodynamic modelisation (HSC and FactSage).
The aim of the post doctoral subject offered at the S2CM (Service of corrosion and Behavior of Materials) consists in the entire study of the behavior, from the sample preparation to the caracterization of corrosion products. This topic is highly experimental and goes deep in the understanding of the corrosion mechanisms. This post doc position is part of a project gathering top - Notch industrial and academics (EDF,Framatome, Orano and the CNRS). Results obtained are subject to be presented to the different partners.
Mitigation of Alkali Silica Reaction in concrete used for radwaste stabilization and solidification
Electricity production from nuclear power plants generates radioactive wastes, the management of which represents a major industrial and environmental concern. Thus, low- or intermediate - level radioactive aqueous waste streams may be concentrated by evaporation, and immobilized with a Portland cement, before being sent to disposal. Nevertheless, interactions may occur between some components of the waste and the cement phases or aggregates, and decrease the stability of the final waste forms. Thereby, the formation of a gel-like product has been recently observed on the surface of some cemented drums of evaporator concentrates which were produced in the 80’s in Belgium. This product results from a reaction between silica from the aggregates and the very alkaline pore solution of the concrete. However, its composition and rheological properties differ from those reported for alkali-silica gels in civil engineering. Extensive work has been performed to better understand the processes involved in the gel formation within the cement-waste forms and characterize its properties. Based on these results, the post-doctoral project will be focussed on the mitigation of alkali silica reaction in cement-waste forms. Two approaches will be more particularly investigated by decreasing the water saturation ratio of concrete and/or the pH of its pore solution using supercritical carbonation.
This project is intended for a post-doctoral fellow wishing to develop skills in materials science, with an interest in advancing the field of cement chemistry and improving the conditioning of radioactive waste. It will be performed in collaboration with ONDRAF-NIRAS, the Agency in charge of radioactive waste management in Belgium, and will build upon the expertise of two laboratories at CEA Marcoule: the Cements and Bitumen for Waste Conditioning Laboratory for materials elaboration and characterization, and the Supercritical and Decontamination Laboratory.