Understanding Surface Chemistry and Reactivity of Actinide Oxides

Explore the surface chemistry and reactivity of actinide oxides in this 42-minute conference presentation from IPAM's Embracing Stochasticity in Electrochemical Modeling Workshop. Discover how nuclear energy deployment faces significant challenges in managing spent fuel and high-level waste, with actinide oxides (thorium, uranium, plutonium) serving as the primary nuclear fuel materials at the center of these issues. Learn how radiation-induced defects generate excess electrons that fundamentally shape surface chemistry and reactivity patterns. Examine first-principles simulation results demonstrating that electron localization varies across different actinides, creating distinct interactions with water and unique implications for corrosion processes. Understand the critical role that electronic and structural defects play in governing surface processes that directly impact the long-term safety and stability of nuclear fuels. Gain insights into advanced computational modeling approaches used to predict and analyze these complex electrochemical systems, with particular focus on stochastic modeling techniques applied to nuclear materials science and their applications in sustainable energy development.