Over forty years of ‘Thermodynamics of Nuclear Materials’

In this paper, some perspectives of the highlights of the contributions of chemical thermodynamics to the understanding and exploitation of nuclear fuels are considered. Of particular significance are the developments in the representation of complex phase equilibria and the understanding, which has evolved of the behaviour of all fuel systems during operation and in accident conditions. Studies on metallic and ceramic fuels, actinide alloys, oxides, carbides and nitrides, will be discussed. Some directions of future endeavours are given.