Synthesis, characterization and thermal expansion measurements on uranium-cerium mixed oxides

► Uranium-Cerium mixed oxides (U1−yCey)O2 (y = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) were prepared by combustion synthesis using citric acid as the fuel. ► There exists discrepancy in the literature on the variation of thermal expansion of the uranium-cerium mixed oxide with increase in CeO2 content. Also, the literature data on thermal expansion are available on (U1−yCey)O2 only up to y = 0.22 and not for higher values of y. The present study is aimed at clarifying the existing discrepancy and also to fill the gap in the literature data with respect to uranium-cerium mixed oxides containing higher amounts of CeO2. In the present study thermal expansion measurements were carried out on uranium-cerium mixed oxides containing up to 80% CeO2. ► The present investigation also provides a method to estimate the thermal expansion of uranium-cerium mixed oxides over the whole range of composition, using the known heat capacity data.