Abstract:
In order to investigate the possibility to synthesize cubic pyrochlore Gd
2Zr
2O
7 by solid-solid reactions under high pressure and high temperature conditions, the synthesis experiments were carried out at a fixed pressure of 5.2 GPa and a temperature range of 1 473-1 873 K using the mixed powders of Gd
2O
3 and ZrO
2 as starting materials. The as synthesized samples were characterized by XRD. The results show that a single phase compound Gd
2Zr
2O
7 with a cubic pyrochlore structure is successfully synthesized at 5.2 GPa pressure and 1 873 K temperature with 30 min holding time. The novel method has vitally scientific values and practical significance for immobilization of surplus weapon-level plutonium and containing-plutonium high level wastes.