Doping UO2 with Cr enhances its properties and makes it a promising accident-tolerant nuclear fuel, yet the stable oxidation state of Cr in Cr-doped UO2 remains debated. Here, the authors use DFT+U modeling to reveal Cr3+ as the most favorable oxidation state in Cr-doped UO2, aligning with the most recent experimental results.
- Mathieu Gascoin
- Mariya Romanova
- Michel Freyss