Immobilization of Cs-trapping ceramic filters within glass-ceramic waste forms

Recent Advances in Corrosion Science Applicable To Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste

High-level radioactive waste is accumulating at temporary storage locations around the world and will eventually be placed in deep geological repositories. The waste forms and containers will be constructed from glass, crystalline ceramic, and metallic materials, which will eventually come into contact with water, considering that the period of performance required to allow sufficient decay of dangerous radionuclides is on the order of 10⁵-10⁶ years. Corrosion of the containers and waste forms in the aqueous repository environment is therefore a concern. This Review describes the recent advances of the field of materials corrosion that are relevant to fundamental materials science issues associated with the long-term performance assessment and the design of materials with improved performance, where performance is defined as resistance to aqueous corrosion. Glass, crystalline ceramics, and metals are discussed separately, and the near-field interactions of these different material classes are also briefly addressed. Finally, recommendations for future directions of study are provided.

Review on Selection and Experiment Method of Commonly Studied Simulated Radionuclides in Researches of Nuclear Waste Solidification

Although many types of simulated radionuclides have been widely used as a substitute for actual nuclear waste in the studies of nuclear waste solidification, the understanding of the applicability and validity of simulated radionuclides is still insufficient. In particular, the selection and use of simulated radionuclides, which can play a decisive role in the accuracy of the experimental results, still lack unified or integrated references. This paper provides a critical review on the selection, experimental methods, and applicability of the most commonly studied simulated radionuclides, followed by a careful discussion and recommendation of simulated radionuclides suitable for different solidified bodies. The main factors (e.g., temperature, pH, and atmosphere) affecting the choice of simulated radionuclides were analyzed in detail. This work helps to integrate the selection and use of simulated radionuclides, and it will be beneficial for improving the effectiveness of nuclide solidification research.

Cesium retention and release from sulfur polymer concrete matrix under normal and accidental conditions

This paper proposes an efficient two-stage process for stabilization and solidification of the Cs-137 isotope in a sulfur polymer concrete (SPC) matrix. Lignite slag (SL) and fly ash (FA) were applied as active fillers for cesium immobilization. To study the release of Cs-137 isotope and determine the tracer activity in the leachates, we applied a slightly modified ANSI/ANS 16.1 protocol and the gamma spectrometry technique. The measured effective diffusion coefficients for the Cs-137 isotope were between 0.84·10^-9 and 3.10·10^-9 cm²·s^-1. Normalized leaching rates were within the range of 1.74·10^-5 - 3.85·10^-5 g·cm^-2·d^-1, fulfilling acceptance criteria for radioactive wasteforms. As well as standard leaching under static conditions, we also studied dynamic leaching of SPC samples at increased temperatures and leaching in an aggressive environment. The Cs-137 effective diffusion coefficients were found to increase by 3 - 4 orders of magnitude (10^-6 - 10^-5 cm²·s^-1), while the normalized leaching rate reached values of up to 2.36·10^-3 g·cm^-2·d^-1 after 28 days of leaching. The proposed cesium immobilization mechanism is based on the formation of cesium silicate and aluminosilicate phases, together with effective matrix sealing during the SPC manufacturing process.