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Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy
The mission of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Policy Division (NNPD) is to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology while simultaneously preventing the diversion and misuse of nuclear material and technology through appropriate safeguards and security, and promotion of nuclear nonproliferation policies. To achieve this mission, the objectives of the NNPD are to: Promote policy that discourages the proliferation of nuclear technology and material to inappropriate entities. Provide information to ANS members, the technical community at large, opinion leaders, and decision makers to improve their understanding of nuclear nonproliferation issues. Become a recognized technical resource on nuclear nonproliferation, safeguards, and security issues. Serve as the integration and coordination body for nuclear nonproliferation activities for the ANS. Work cooperatively with other ANS divisions to achieve these objective nonproliferation policies.
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2025 ANS Annual Conference
June 15–18, 2025
Chicago, IL|Chicago Marriott Downtown
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Smarter waste strategies: Helping deliver on the promise of advanced nuclear
At COP28, held in Dubai in 2023, a clear consensus emerged: Nuclear energy must be a cornerstone of the global clean energy transition. With electricity demand projected to soar as we decarbonize not just power but also industry, transport, and heat, the case for new nuclear is compelling. More than 20 countries committed to tripling global nuclear capacity by 2050. In the United States alone, the Department of Energy forecasts that the country’s current nuclear capacity could more than triple, adding 200 GW of new nuclear to the existing 95 GW by mid-century.
Shameem Hasan, Tushar K. Ghosh
Nuclear Technology | Volume 181 | Number 2 | February 2013 | Pages 371-379
Technical Paper | Miscellaneous | doi.org/10.13182/NT13-A15791
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Uranium oxide (U3O8) nanoparticles were synthesized and coated in situ with porous, mesostructured silica using a modified sol-gel method for use as a catalyst. The catalytic property of coated U3O8 nanoparticles was evaluated by exposing them to an aqueous solution of benzene at 500 mg/l at room temperature. The presence of benzene was not detected by an ultraviolet (UV)-visible (UV-vis) spectrometer after 6 weeks of exposure to coated uranium oxide nanoparticles, indicating the particles' potential as a catalyst. Based on the results of the benzene destruction, it may be suggested that the coated U3O8 nanoparticle-based catalyst has the potential to destroy hydrocarbons, aromatics, and various toxic substances such as perchlorates and 1,4-dioxane from groundwater. However, further experiments are necessary to explore the full potential of the catalyst. Pluronic-123, n-butanol, and 2-propanol were used as surfactant, cosurfactant, and continuous phase, respectively, for the synthesis of the U3O8 nanoparticles, which were formed through nucleation, growth, and subsequent aggregation in the solution phase. The nanoparticles were coated in situ using an aqueous solution of tetraethyl orthosilicate. The coated particles were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, nitrogen physisorption, X-ray diffraction, and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy. These measurements revealed that U3O8 particles ranging from 4- to 10-nm were distributed exclusively inside the silica matrix.