Radiation effects in SYNROC-D

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Nucl. Technol.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5659070

Konynfnburg, R A; Guinan, M W

SYNROC-D is a ceramic material proposed as a waste form for defense high-level nuclear waste. During the first million years of storage, it would be subjected to about8 X 10/sup 24/ alpha decay/m/sup 3/ of SYNROC-D and a total ionization dose of about1 X 10/sup 11/ rad. There are several methods of simulating the resulting radiation effects, including external bombardment using gamma rays, electrons, light ions, heavy ions, or neutrons, and internal bombardment using short half-life actinide doping to bring about internal alpha decay, or doping with uranium, boron, or lithium, coupled with neutron irradiation, to induce internal fissions or (n...cap alpha..) reactions. The results show that dose rate effects are not important in determining the swelling and metamictization of the perovskite and zirconolite phases over a wide range of dose rate for low temperatures and doses of 2 to 3 X 10/sup 25/ alpha/m/sup 3/ of each phase, corresponding to expected million year doses in SYNROC-D. Based on this observation and a consideration of the basic processes involved, the authors argue that the million-year radiation damage expected in SYNROC-D can be adequately simulated in a few months by doping samples with /sup 238/Pu, and simultaneously carrying out external gamma-ray bombardment. The /sup 238/Pu will undergo alpha decay, producing the same type of damage in the same phases as would long-term actinide decay in actual waste. The gamma irradiation will simulate the ionization dose, which would result primarily from fission product decay in actual waste. SYNROC-D samples have been fabricated and characterized using cerium and uranium, respectively, as stand-ins for plutonium. These samples show good properties, and /sup 239/Pu doping experiments are expected to take place soon to determine if plutonium will dissolve properly in SYNROC-D.

• Research Organization: University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94550
• OSTI ID: 5659070
• Journal Information: Nucl. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Nucl. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 60:2; ISSN NUTYB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

052002* -- Nuclear Fuels-- Waste Disposal & Storage
12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
ALPHA DECAY
CERAMICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
DECAY
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
GAMMA RADIATION
IONIZATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IONS
LEPTONS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
PROCESSING
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATIONS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RADIOACTIVE WASTES
ROCKS
SIMULATION
SYNROC PROCESS
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
SYNTHETIC ROCKS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTES