Effect of glass composition on waste form durability: A critical review

Technical Report · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10120562· OSTI ID:10120562

Ellison, A J.G.; Mazer, J J; Ebert, W L ^[1]

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1. Argonne National Lab., IL (United States). Chemical Technology Div.

This report reviews literature concerning the relationship between the composition and durability of silicate glasses, particularly glasses proposed for immobilization of radioactive waste. Standard procedures used to perform durability tests are reviewed. It is shown that tests in which a low-surface area sample is brought into contact with a very large volume of solution provide the most accurate measure of the intrinsic durability of a glass composition, whereas high-surface area/low-solution volume tests are a better measure of the response of a glass to changes in solution chemistry induced by a buildup of glass corrosion products. The structural chemistry of silicate and borosilicate glasses is reviewed to identify those components with the strongest cation-anion bonds. A number of examples are discussed in which two or more cations engage in mutual bonding interactions that result in minima or maxima in the rheologic and thermodynamic properties of the glasses at or near particular optimal compositions. It is shown that in simple glass-forming systems such interactions generally enhance the durability of glasses. Moreover, it is shown that experimental results obtained for simple systems can be used to account for durability rankings of much more complex waste glass compositions. Models that purport to predict the rate of corrosion of glasses in short-term durability tests are evaluated using a database of short-term durability test results for a large set of glass compositions. The predictions of these models correlate with the measured durabilities of the glasses when considered in large groupings, but no model evaluated in this review provides accurate estimates of durability for individual glass compositions. Use of these models in long-term durability models is discussed. 230 refs.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 10120562
• Report Number(s): ANL--94/28; ON: DE95007313
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360604
BOROSILICATE GLASS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPILED DATA
CORROSION RESISTANCE
CORROSION, EROSION, AND DEGRADATION
GLASS
HYDRATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEASURING METHODS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
RELIABILITY
REVIEWS
VITRIFICATION
WASTE DISPOSAL AND STORAGE
WASTE FORMS