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http://dx.doi.org/10.7733/jnfcwt.2020.18.3.337

Interaction of Rare Earth Chloride Salts to Alumina and Mullite in LiCl-KCl at 773 K  

Horvath, David (Idaho National Laboratory)
Warmann, Stephen (Idaho National Laboratory)
King, James (Idaho National Laboratory)
Marsden, Kenneth (Idaho National Laboratory)
Hoover, Robert (Idaho National Laboratory)
Publication Information
Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT) / v.18, no.3, 2020 , pp. 337-346 More about this Journal
Abstract
Two commonly used ceramics in molten salt research are alumina and mullite. The two ceramics were exposed to a combination of rare earth chlorides (YCl3, SmCl3, NdCl3, PrCl3, and CeCl3; each rare earth chloride of 1.8 weight percent) in LiCl-KCl at 773 K for approximately 13 days. Scanning electron microscopy with wave dispersion spectra was utilized to investigate a formation layer or deposition of rare earths onto the ceramic. Only the major constituents of the ceramics (Al, Si, and O2) were observed during the wave dispersion spectra. X-ray fluorescence was used as well to determine concentration changes in the molten salt as a function of ceramic exposure time. This study shows no evidence of ionic exchange or layer formation between the ceramics and molten chloride salt mixture. There are signs of surface tension effects of molten salt moving out of the tantalum crucible into secondary containment.
Keywords
Molten salt; Ceramic; Ionic exchange; Rare earth chloride; Molten salt surface tension;
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