Recent advances in the U.S. fuel cycle R&D Program

The US Fuel Cycle Research and Development program is investigating advanced nuclear fuel recycle technologies. These technologies must be cost effective, allow for safeguarding of fissile material, and generate minimal waste volumes to enable a sustainable nuclear energy future. The program aims to reduce the long-term radiotoxicity of the used fuel, by separation and transmutation of actinides, so that the majority of the fuel requires management on engineering time scales rather than geologic time scales. Particular emphasis is placed on the separation of americium and curium from the lanthanide elements. An overview of recent results, along with examples of research into innovative technologies, is presented. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 2010 Spring National Meeting (San Antonio, TX 3/21-25/2010).