General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DES-25-0168
Thesis topic details
Category
Engineering science
Thesis topics
Generation of Cesium silicate micro-particles from Fukushima
Contract
Thèse
Job description
Microscopic in size, but large in environmental impact, cesium microparticles hold one of the keys to understanding the Fukushima nuclear accident. Following the Fukushima Daiichi accident, these cesium-rich silicate glass microparticles (CSMP) were discovered in the environment, carrying a significant portion of the radioactivity. Very poorly soluble in water, they differ from those observed at Chernobyl. A previous thesis demonstrated that these CSMPs could be the result of the interaction between corium and concrete during a severe accident, via small-scale experiments. The study made it possible to reproduce similar particles, made of amorphous silica with crystalline nano-inclusions. However, the results need to be refined, particularly with regard to the presence of zinc and calcium. The proposed thesis aims to explore the physicochemical mechanisms leading to the synthesis of these CSMPs. Laboratory experiments will recreate the corium-concrete interaction conditions, representative of Fukushima, in order to optimize the compositions and improve the modeling of the releases of these particles in current severe accident assessment tools.
University / doctoral school
Physique et Sciences de la Matière (ED352)
Aix-Marseille Université
Thesis topic location
Site
Cadarache
Requester
Position start date
01/10/2025
Person to be contacted by the applicant
DELACROIX Jules
jules.delacroix@cea.fr
CEA
DES/IRESNE/DTN/SMTA/LEAG
Bât. 219D
CEA Cadarache
13108 St Paul lez Durance
04 42 25 35 64
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
AUDUBERT Fabienne
fabienne.audubert@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DEC//LAMIR
CEA/Cadarache
Bâtiment 315
04.42.25.76.47
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