Issue 29, 2023

How does chemistry contribute to circular economy in nuclear energy systems to make them more sustainable and ecological?

Abstract

While one should be aware that its zero CO2 emission is actually achievable only when electric power is generated, nuclear power is one of the most viable and proven “carbon-free” energy sources to provide baseload electricity to the current energy-demanding society. Even after the power generation, the major part of spent nuclear fuels still consists of recyclable nuclear fuel materials such as U and Pu, promising circular economy of nuclear energy systems in principle. However, actual situations are not very simple due to the following issues: (1) resource security of nuclear fuel materials, (2) issues of depleted uranium, and (3) treatment and disposal of high-level radioactive wastes. In this Perspective, I discussed how chemistry can contribute to resolving these problems and what task academic research in fundamental chemistry should take on there.

Graphical abstract: How does chemistry contribute to circular economy in nuclear energy systems to make them more sustainable and ecological?

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
04 Apr. 2023
Accepted
26 Apr. 2023
First published
27 Apr. 2023

Dalton Trans., 2023,52, 9866-9881

How does chemistry contribute to circular economy in nuclear energy systems to make them more sustainable and ecological?

K. Takao, Dalton Trans., 2023, 52, 9866 DOI: 10.1039/D3DT01019H

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