Use of ceramic materials in waste-package systems for geologic disposal of nuclear wastes
A study to investigate the potential use of ceramic materials as components in the waste package systems was conducted. The initial objective of the study was to screen and compare a large number of ceramic materials and identify the best materials for the proposed application. The principal method used to screen the candidates was to subject samples of each material to a series of leaching tests and to determine their relative resistance to attack by the leach solutions. A total of 14 ceramic materials, plus graphite and basalt were evaluated using three different leach solutions: demineralized water, a synthetic Hanford ground water, and a synthetic WIPP brine solution. The ceramic materials screened were Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (99%), Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ (99.8%), mullite (2Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/.SiO/sub 2/), vitreous silica (SiO/sub 2/), BaTiO/sub 3/, CaTiO/sub 3/, CaTiSiO/sub 5/, TiO/sub 2/, ZrO/sub 2/, ZrSiO/sub 4/, Pyroceram 9617, and Marcor Code 9658 machinable glass-ceramic. Average leach rates for the materials tested were determined from analyses of the leach solutions and/or sample weight loss measurements. Because of the limited scope of the present study, evaluation of the specimens was limited to ceramographic examination. Based on an overall evaluation of the leach rate data, five of the materials tested, namely graphite, TiO/sub 2/, ZrO/sub 2/, and the two grades of alumina, exhibited much greater resistance to leaching than did the other materials tested. Based on all the experimental data obtained, and considering other factors such as cost, availability, fabrication technology, and mechanical and physical properties, graphite and alumina are the preferred candidates for the barrier application. The secondary choices are TiO/sub 2/ and ZrO/sub 2/.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 7055274
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-3447; TRN: 81-002894
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BASALT
LEACHING
CERAMICS
GRAPHITE
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
PACKAGING
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BARIUM OXIDES
BRINES
CALCIUM OXIDES
CERAMOGRAPHY
CORROSION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
MATERIALS TESTING
MULLITE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
SILICON OXIDES
TITANIUM OXIDES
WATER
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IGNEOUS ROCKS
INFORMATION
INORGANIC ION EXCHANGERS
ION EXCHANGE MATERIALS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MINERALS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
ROCKS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
TESTING
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
VOLCANIC ROCKS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
360204 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Physical Properties