Challenges in Plutonium and Actinide Materials Science

There are perhaps no more controversial materials in our society than the actinides—the elements above actinium in the periodic table that include uranium, plutonium, and many other radioactive elements. They are at the same time vilified by some for their potentially catastrophic impact on the environment and global health and praised by others for their role in ending the Cold War. And yet, at the heart of both these issues is a tremendous amount of fundamental research and technology that is essential for the actinides' rational use, safe disposition, reliable long-term storage, and the remediation of their impact on the environment.