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Examination of subaerially altered basaltic glass with TEM and EELS

Conference ·
OSTI ID:10542
We have examined the weathered surfaces of 720 year old Hawaiian basalt glasses that were recovered from a subaerial environment with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy filtered imaging and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) techniques. Whereas the alteration products (palagonite) were physically detached from the underlying glass in most samples, a gel-like amorphous layer was observed adjacent to the glass in a few samples. To our knowledge, this is the first time a gel layer has been observed on weathered basalt. This is significant because analogous gel layers have been observed on nuclear waste glasses reacted in laboratory tests, and this demonstrates an important similarity in the mechanisms of the weathering of basalt and the corrosion of waste glasses.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy (US)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
10542
Report Number(s):
ANL/CMT/CP-95167
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English