Pre-Viking Swedish Hillfort Glass: A Prospective Long-Term Alteration Analogue for Vitrified Nuclear Waste

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · International Journal of Applied Glass Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/ijag.12351· OSTI ID:1601833

Weaver, Jamie L. ^[1]; Pearce, Carolyn I. ^[1]; Sjoblom, Rolf ^[2]; McCloy, John S. ^[3]; Miller, Micah D. ^[1]; Varga, Tamas  ^[1]; Arey, Bruce W. ^[1]; Conroy, Michele A.  ^[1]; Peeler, David K. ^[1]; Koestler, Robert J. ^[4]; Depriest, Paula T. ^[4]; Vicenzi, Edward P. ^[5]; Hjarthner-Jolder, E ^[6]; Ogenhall, E ^[7]; Kruger, Albert A. ^[8]

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1. BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)
2. Lulea University of Technology
3. Washington State University
4. Museum Conservation Institute
5. Smithsonian Institution
6. The archaelogists, Geoarchaeological Laboratory, National Historical Museums
7. The Archaiologists, Geoarchaeological Laboratory, National HIstorical Museums
8. OFFICE RIVER PROTECTION

Examining ancient anthropogenic glasses altered in natural environments over hundreds of years can inform and verify models for predicting long-term rates of glass corrosion. Understanding corrosion mechanisms is critical for modeling the performance of nuclear waste glasses that are required to retain radionuclides for >1000 years, and will be disposed in shallow subsurface environments. Two types of ancient Swedish hillfort glasses — one clear, iron-poor glass, and one dark, iron-rich glass — have been characterized to evaluate their use as long-term alteration analogues for vitrified nuclear waste disposed under near-surface conditions. These glasses are of interest to the nuclear waste glass community as they have comparable elemental compositions to glasses under development for disposal of nuclear waste at the Hanford Site, USA. They are also of historical importance to Sweden; thus, an analysis protocol, focusing on non-destructive to semi-destructive analyses, has been developed to maintain the historical integrity of the samples. X-ray computed tomography, micro X-ray diffraction, micro X-ray fluorescence, and electron microscopy data are presented for both vitreous and mineralogical components of the hillfort samples. The internal microstructure and elemental distribution of the glasses, including the presence of crystalline inclusions, are discussed in the context of ancient glassmaking technology.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1601833
• Report Number(s): PNNL-26864
• Journal Information: International Journal of Applied Glass Science, Vol. 9, Issue 4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English