Properties of Fluorite Structure Materials

The present work focuses on two fluorite-structured groups of materials: the hydrides of the rare earths (and actinides) and several specificmetal oxides, and is authored by researchers among the most competentand active in the field. By contrast to the classical "historic"alkaline-earth halides, non-stoichiometry appears as a key issue forboth groups treated here. The former group has attracted particularlyclose attention because of its possible candidature as hydrogen storagematerial within the vast prospect of the clean energy economy. In thesecond group, a chapter is devoted to the (antifluorite-type) lithiumoxide, a candidate for (super)ionic batteries (again interesting for the clean energy technology) and as a tritium "breeder" in fusion reactorwalls. Finally, two more chapters are dedicated to the radiation effects on actinide dioxides (like uranium dioxide), and yttria-stabilizedzirconium dioxide which is envisioned as an inert confinement matrix for actinide transmutation in nuclear reactors.

Calcium fluoride, CaF2, occurs naturally as themineral fluorite which lends its name to the deceptively simple cubic structureof four FCC Ca atoms and eight tetrahedrally coordinated F atoms.  In simplicity often lies rich diversity, thisis certainly the case with materials with the fluorite structure.  This book demonstrates how such diversity influorite materials arrives from small changes in stoichiometry. It covers a wide range of research based solely on those materials with the fluoritestructure. - Dr. Clark S. Snow, PrincipalMember of the Technical Staff, Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, NM

Interestingly, the Editors chose to treat only two classes of fluoritetype compounds, i.e. hydrides (rare-­-earth, actinides) and oxides (lithium, zirconium, cerium, actinides), and both have very different properties(mainly metallic and magnetic for the hydrides, non-­-metallic and mainly non-­-magnetic for the oxides). While this approach precludescomprehensiveness, it has the advantage of conveying to the reader a well-­-focused view on recent advancesin two important subfields of theenergy sector, i.e. hydrogen technology on the one hand, and solid oxidefuel cells and nuclear reactorson theother. You cannot go wrong with this book. From the physics and chemistry graduate to the experienced material scientist, this is a great reference. - Klaus Yvon, Professor, Physics, University of Geneva