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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Sulfur polymer cement as a low-level waste glass matrix encapsulant

Conference ·
OSTI ID:210165
; ;  [1]
  1. Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States); and others
Sulfur polymer cement (SPC) is being considered as a matrix encapsulant for the Hanford low-level (activity) waste glass. SPC is an elemental sulfur polymer-stabilized thermoplastic that is fluid at 140{degrees}C. The candidate process would encapsulate the glass by filling the waste container with glass (e.g., as cullet) and backfiring with SPC to form a composite. As the primary barrier to groundwater, SPC plays a key role in the waste form`s long-term performance assessment. Work to date has targeted both the performance characteristics of the SPC alone and its potential influence on the glass. Bulk properties of the glass-SPC composite will be discussed along with glass-SPC interface characteristics. Properties that will be addressed include SPC properties, mechanical strength of the composite and the glass-SPC interface, glass-SPC interface chemistry, glass-SPC aqueous durability, and radiation effects.
OSTI ID:
210165
Report Number(s):
CONF-9509139--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English