Study on the colloids generated from testing of high-level nuclear waste glasses
The generation of colloids in the interaction of high-level nuclear waste glasses with groundwater at 90[degrees]C has been investigated. The stability of the colloidal suspensions has been characterized with respect to salt concentration, pH time, particle size, and zeta potential. The compositions and the morphology of the colloids have also been determined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From ourtest results combined with earlier ones, we conclude that the waste glass may contribute to the colloid formation by increasing ion concentration in groundwater, which causes nucleation of colloids; by releasing radionuclides that adsorb onto existing groundwater colloids; and by spalling colloidal-size fragments from the surface layer of the reacted glass. The colloids are silicon-rich particles, such as smectites and uranium silicates. When the salt concentration in the solution is high the colloidal suspensions agglomerate. However, the agglomerated particles can be resuspended if the salt concentration is lowered by dilution with groundwater. The colloids agglomerate quickly after the leachate is cooled to room temperature. Most of the colloids settle out of the solution within a few days at ambient temperature. The isoelectric point is at a pH of approximately 1.0. Between pH 1 and 10.5, the colloids are negatively charged, which suggests that they will deposit readily on, positively charged surfaces. The average particle size islargest at the isoelectric point and is smallest around pH 6.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6811515
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/CMT/CP-77655; CONF-930205-18; ON: DE93008655
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management '93, Tucson, AZ (United States), 28 Feb - 4 Mar 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
COLLOIDS
MORPHOLOGY
SYNTHESIS
GLASS
TESTING
HIGH-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE WASTES
UNDERGROUND DISPOSAL
CARBON DIOXIDE
GROUND WATER
LEACHATES
PH VALUE
SALTS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
MIXTURES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
SOLUTIONS
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTES
WATER
052002* - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Disposal & Storage
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture
052001 - Nuclear Fuels- Waste Processing