UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA - RENO NEW CURIE AWARD CONTROL NUMBER: 2691-1541 TITLE: DEVELOPMENT OF ROBUST ANODE MATERIALS FOR THE ELECTROCHEMICAL RECOVERY OF ACTINIDE ELEMENTS FROM USED NUCLEAR FUEL THE U.S. COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY HAS AMASSED OVER 80,000 METRIC TONS OF USED OXIDE NUCLEAR FUEL, AND IT CONTINUES TO GENERATE NEARLY 2,000 METRIC TONS EVERY YEAR. AN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY IS NEEDED TO TREAT THESE USED FUELS FOR THE RECOVERY AND REUSE OF ITS ACTINIDE CONTENTS. THE DISPOSITION OF THE WASTE PRODUCTS INVOLVES ELECTROMETALLURGICAL PROCESSES IN MOLTEN SALT SYSTEMS, INCLUDING ELECTROLYTIC REDUCTION AND ELECTROREFINING. IN AN ELECTROLYTIC REDUCTION PROCESS, USED NUCLEAR OXIDE FUEL IS CONVERTED TO METAL TO FACILITATE SUBSEQUENT ELECTROREFINING, WHERE ACTINIDE RECOVERY OCCURS.