Accelerated alpha radiation damage in a ceramic waste form, interim results

Conference · Thu Nov 11 04:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:750588

Frank, S M; Johnson, S G; Moschetti, T L; O'Holleran, T P; Sinkler, W; Esh, D; Goff, K M

Interim results are presented on the alpha-decay damage study of a {sup 238}Pu-loaded ceramic waste form (CWF). The waste form was developed to immobilize fission products and transuranic species accumulated from the electrometallurgical treatment of spent nuclear fuel. To evaluate the effects of {alpha}-decay damage on the waste form the {sup 238}Pu-loaded material was analyzed by (1) x-ray diffraction (XRD), (2) microstructure characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (EDS/WDS) and electron diffraction, (3) bulk density measurements and (4) waste form durability, performed by the product consistency test (PCT). While the predominate phase of plutonium in the CWF, PuO{sub 2}, shows the expected unit cell expansion due to {alpha}-decay damage, currently no significant change has occurred to the macro- or microstructure of the material. The major phase of the waste form is sodalite and contains very little Pu, although the exact amount is unknown. Interestingly, measurement of the sodalite phase unit cell is also showing very slight expansion; again, presumably from {alpha}-decay damage.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 750588
• Report Number(s): ANL/NT/CP-100474
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALPHA DECAY
BULK DENSITY
CORROSION RESISTANCE
MICROSTRUCTURE
PLUTONIUM 238
RADIATION EFFECTS
WASTE FORMS