Incorporation in Solid Phases
Photo from summer 2021: Luiza Braga Ferreira dos Santos, Dr. Sara Gilson, Dr. Ghada Yassin (former group member), Quirina Roode-Gutzmer, Dr. Nina Huittinen, Dr. Astrid Barkleit.
Group information
Dr. Nina Huittinen is leading the group as part of the Surface Processes department, currently consisting of five female early career- and senior scientists. As our name implies, we focus on research related to the structure and properties of solid phases containing radionuclides (RNs). On the one hand, we are interested in crystalline inorganic solid phases of relevance in the various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle or envisioned waste management technologies. On the other hand, we investigate materials from nuclear power plants in the context of their safe decommissioning.
As part of the AcE project, Dr. Sara Gilson is investigating the influence of ionizing radiation on the structure and performance of monazites and zirconates containing actinides or their inactive surrogates from the lanthanide series. Radiation damage studies are mainly conducted using external heavy ion irradiation at varying fluences, to induce damage to the crystalline ceramics. A combination of surface sensitive techniques is thereafter applied to understand changes occurring in the microstructure of the materials, the redox chemistry of the dopant and host cations in the crystal structure, and the dissolution properties of the ceramic material. M.Sc. Luiza Braga Ferreira dos Santos is investigating the incorporation of tetravalent actinides and Ce(IV) in zirconia, as part of her Ph.D. thesis. Combining diffraction experiments with various spectroscopic investigations, actinide solubility limits, phase transformations, and local structural order/disorder phenomena can be addressed. A more detailed overview of the Ph.D. project can be found here.
As part of the EMPRADO and Werreba projects, Dr. Astrid Barkleit is investigating and supervising work related to the safe decommissioning of nuclear power plants (NPPs). The work involves experimental validation and verification of performed calculations related to the formation and activity distribution of activation products in the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) components and the surrounding concrete shield. The latter component is investigated in more detail as part of a Ph.D. project by M.Sc. Quirina Roode-Gutzmer. One particular research focus is related to the enhanced reactivity of radiation-damaged concrete constituents, such as quartz and feldspars. Understanding radiation-induced structural damage in concrete is not only necessary for assessing the structural safety of the concrete during extended NPP operation but is also an important consideration in the development of processing solutions for dismantling and disposal of radioactive concrete waste.
Head | |||||
Name | Bld./Office | +49 351 260 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prof. Dr. Nina Maria Huittinen | 801/P218 | 2148 | n.huittinen![]() | ||
Employees | |||||
Name | Bld./Office | +49 351 260 | |||
Dr. Astrid Barkleit | 801/P207 | 3136 2512 2518 | a.barkleit![]() |
Running projects
Finished projects
Selected Publications
2020
Understanding the local structure of Eu3+ and Y3+ stabilized zirconia – Insights from luminescence and X–ray absorption spectroscopic investigations
Eibl, M.; Shaw, S.; Prieur, D.; Roßberg, A.; Wilding, M. C.; Hennig, C.; Morris, K.; Rothe, J.; Stumpf, T.; Huittinen, N. M.
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Journal of Materials Science 55(2020), 10095-10120
DOI: 10.1007/s10853-020-04768-3
Cited 13 times in Scopus
2019
Rare-Earth orthophosphates from atomistic simulations
Ji, Y.; Kowalski, P. M.; Kegler, P.; Huittinen, N.; Marks, N.; Vinograd, V.; Arinicheva, Y.; Neumeier, S.; Bosbach, D.
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Frontiers in Chemistry 7(2019), 197
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00197
Cited 16 times in Scopus
A spectroscopic investigation of Eu3+ incorporation in LnPO4 (Ln = Tb, Gd1–xLux, x = 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1) ceramics
Lösch, H.; Hirsch, A.; Holthausen, J.; Peters, L.; Xiao, B.; Neumeier, S.; Schmidt, M.; Huittinen, N.
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Frontiers in Chemistry 7(2019), 94
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00094
Cited 6 times in Scopus
2018
Local structural effects of Eu3+ incorporation into xenotime-type solid solutions with different host cations
Xiao, B.; Lösch, H.; Huittinen, N.; Schmidt, M.
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Chemistry - A European Journal 24(2018)50, 13368-13377
DOI: 10.1002/chem.201802841
Cited 10 times in Scopus
A spectroscopic and computational study of Cm3+ incorporation in lanthanide phosphate rhabdophane (LnPO4·0.67H2O) and monazite (LnPO4)
Huittinen, N.; Scheinost, A. C.; Ji, Y.; Kowalski, P. M.; Arinicheva, Y.; Wilden, A.; Neumeier, S.; Stumpf, T.
Involved research facilities
- Rossendorf Beamline at ESRF DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265
Related publications
- DOI: 10.1107/S1600577520014265 is cited by this (Id 26844) publication
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Inorganic Chemistry 57(2018), 6252-6265
DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.8b00095
Cited 17 times in Scopus
2017
Probing structural homogeneity of La1-xGdxPO4 monazite-type solid solutions by combined spectroscopic and computational studies
Huittinen, N.; Arinicheva, Y.; Kowalski, P. M.; Vinograd, V. L.; Neumeier, S.; Bosbach, D.
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Journal of Nuclear Materials 486(2017), 148-157
DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.01.024
Cited 25 times in Scopus
2016
Using Eu3+ as an atomic probe to investigate the local environment in LaPO4–GdPO4 monazite end-members
Huittinen, N.; Arinicheva, Y.; Schmidt, M.; Neumeier, S.; Stumpf, T.
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Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 483(2016), 139-145
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2016.08.027
Cited 22 times in Scopus