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Title: Alkali-slag cements for the immobilization of radioactive wastes

Conference ·
OSTI ID:549380
 [1];  [2]
  1. Wastewater Technology Centre, Burlington, Ontario (Canada)
  2. Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada). Dept. of Civil Engineering

Alkali-slag cements consist of glassy slag and an alkaline activator and can show both higher early and later strengths than Type III Portland cement, if a proper alkaline activator is used. An examination of microstructure of hardened alkali-slag cement pastes with the help of XRD and SEM with EDAX shows that the main hydration product is C-S-H (B) with low C/S ratio and no crystalline substances exist such as Ca(OH){sub 2}, Al (OH){sub 3} and sulphoaluminates. Mercury intrusion tests indicate that hardened alkali-slag cement pastes have a lower porosity than ordinary Portland cement, and contain mainly gel pores. The fine pore structure of hardened alkali-slag cement pastes will restrict the ingress of deleterious substances and the leaching of harmful species such as radionuclides. The leachability of Cs{sup + } from hardened alkali-slag cement pastes is only half of that from hardened Portland cement. From all these aspects, it is concluded that alkali-slag cements are a better solidification matrix than Portland cement for radioactive wastes.

OSTI ID:
549380
Report Number(s):
CONF-931119-; TRN: 98:000412
Resource Relation:
Conference: 3. international symposium on stabilization/solidification of hazardous, radioactive and mixed wastes, Williamsburg, VA (United States), 1-5 Nov 1993; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of Stabilization and solidification of hazardous, radioactive, and mixed wastes: 3. volume; Gilliam, T.M.; Wiles, C.C. [eds.]; PB: [740] p.; ASTM special technical publication 1240
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English