Composition effects on viscosity and chemical durability of simulated plutonium residue glasses

Book · Wed Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1997

OSTI ID:572283

Bulkley, S A ^[1]; Vienna, J D ^[2]

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1. Alfred Univ., NY (United States). New York State Coll. of Ceramics
2. Pacific Northwest National Lab., Richland, WA (United States)

Vitrification is currently being explored as an option for plutonium (Pu) scrap and residue stabilization because of its ability to convert plutonium-bearing materials into a safe, durable, and accountable waste form with reduced need for safeguarding. To develop this glass, the effect of composition on key glass properties (viscosity and chemical durability) were measured. A one-component-at-a-time change test matrix with 36 glasses was designed. The viscosity is reported as the temperature at 5 Pa{center_dot}s (T{sub 5}), and the durability as the normalized release of boron and sodium (r{sub B} and r{sub Na}) from MCC-1 and PCT static leach tests and the negative logarithm of fractional aluminum and lithium release ({minus}ln[f{sub Al}] and {minus}ln[f{sub Li}]) from TCLP. The effects of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, B{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CaO, CeO{sub 2}, Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3}, K{sub 2}O, Li{sub 2}O, MgO, Na{sub 2}O, PbO, SiO{sub 2}, SnO, TiO{sub 2}, and ZrO{sub 2} were found to be linear for T{sub 5} and non-linear for chemical durability. T{sub 5} is increased most by the addition of SiO{sub 2} followed by Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and decreased most by Li{sub 2}O followed by Na{sub 2}O. MCC-1 ln[r{sub B}] and ln[r{sub Na}] are increased most by the addition of Li{sub 2}O followed by MgO and decreased most by Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} followed by ZrO{sub 2}. PCT ln[r{sub B}] and ln[r{sub Na}] are increased most by the addition of Mgo followed by B{sub 2}O{sub 3} and decreased most by Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} followed by SiO{sub 2}. The relative effect of components on r{sub B} and r{sub Na} are similar for both PCT and MCC-1. TCLP {minus}ln[f{sub Al}] and {minus}ln[f{sub Li}] are increased most by the addition of SiO{sub 2} followed by SnO and decreased most by Li{sub 2}O.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 572283
• Report Number(s): CONF-961202--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

05 NUCLEAR FUELS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
BOROSILICATE GLASS
CORROSION RESISTANCE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LEACHING
MATERIALS TESTING
PLUTONIUM
RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL
VISCOSITY
WASTE FORMS