Experimental Study on the pH of Pore water in Compacted Bentonite under Reducing Conditions with Electromigration
- Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan)
Compacted bentonite and carbon steel are considered a good buffer and over-pack materials in the repositories of high-level radioactive waste disposal. Sodium bentonite, Kunipia-F contains approximately 95 wt% of montmorillonite. Bentonites prominent properties of high swelling, sealing ability and cation exchange capacity provide retardation against the transport of radionuclides from the waste into the surrounding rocks in the repository and its properties determine the behavior of bentonite. In this regards, the pH of pore water in compacted bentonite is measured with pH test paper wrapped with semi-permeable membrane of collodion sheet under reducing conditions. On 30 days, the pH test paper in the experimental apparatus indicated that the pH of pore water in compacted bentonite is around 8.0 at saturated state. The carbon steel coupon is connected as the working electrode to the potentiostat and is held at a constant supplied potential between +300 and -300 mV vs. Ag/AgCl electrode for up to 7 days. During applying electromigration the pH of pore water in bentonite decreased and it reached 6.0{approx}6.0 on 7 days. The concentration of iron and sodium showed nearly complementary distribution in the bentonite specimen after electromigration. It is expected that iron could migrate as ferrous ion through the interlayer of montmorillonite replacing exchangeable sodium ions in the interlayer. Semi-permeable membrane of collodion sheet does not affect the color change of pH test paper during the experiment. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9 - 332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 21326079
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-10-WM-08213; TRN: US10V0463067444
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM'08: Waste Management Symposium 2008 - HLW, TRU, LLW/ILW, Mixed, Hazardous Wastes and Environmental Management - Phoenix Rising: Moving Forward in Waste Management, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 24-28 Feb 2008; Other Information: Country of input: France; 9 refs
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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