Thermophysical properties of the oxides of yttrium, cerium, and praseodymium at temperatures from $300$ to $1000$ K by using the technique of attenuation of $\gamma$-rays

The present work is aimed at the determination of the thermal expansion of oxides of yttrium, cerium, and praseodymium as a function of temperature $(300$–$1000$ K$)$. The values of thermal expansion have been determined from linear attenuation coefficient of gamma rays and density in the range $300$–$1000$ K. Measurements on the attenuation of gamma rays have been made with an experimental set up assembled in our laboratory, using the radioactive gamma source $^{137}\rm Cs(0.662$ MeV$)$. The results on the linear gamma ray attenuation $\mu_{\text{l}}$, density $\rho$, and the coefficient of linear thermal expansion $\alpha$ of yttrium oxide $(\rm Y_2\rm O_3)$, cerium oxide $(\rm CeO_2)$, and praseodymium oxide $(\rm Pr_6\rm O_{11})$ as a function of temperature have been fit to a second degree polynomial equation. The present results on the thermal expansion of $\rm Y_2\rm O_3{,}~\rm CeO_2{,}$ and $\rm Pr_6\rm O_{11}$ have been compared with the results obtained from X-ray diffractometry and interferometry methods.