SYNTHESIS OF MATERIALS BASED ON COMPOUNDS OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS WITH TITANIUM, HAFNIUM AND ZIRCONIUM AS PROMISING NEUTRON ABSORBERS FOR NUCLEAR REACTORS

Abstract

A review of the methods for the synthesis of titanates, hafnates, and zirconates of rare earth elements, primarily dysprosium, which have been applied as neutron-absorbing materials for nuclear reactors or are promising due to their high radiation resistance, phase stability, compatibility with structural materials, and corrosion resistance is presented. The characteristics of titanates, hafnates, and zirconates of dysprosium obtained by these methods are presented: high-temperature solid-phase synthesis in compacted mixtures of initial oxides; induction melting of oxides in a “cold” container; chemical methods based on co-precipitation and heat treatment of aqueous solutions; mechanochemical activation of oxide powders in planetary mills followed by heat treatment; plasma-chemical syn-thesis.