Scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) in Aiken, South Carolina have studied the corrosion of simulated wasteforms (glass, glass-ceramics) using various short and long term techniques involving static and flow conditions.  This program is sponsored by both the Nuclear Energy and the Environmental Management of the Department of Energy (DOE-NE & EM).  Glasses studied include the French SON-68 and an Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) glass for incorporation of fission fragments, lanthanides and transition metals.  A six-component simplified 'International Standard Glass' (ISG) has also been fabricated and distributed to both U.S. and international labs for comparative testing.  Comparative long term accelerated corrosion tests performed at high surface area to volume ratio at 200�C for over 2 years show that the AFCI glass undergoes complete reaction within 90 days while the SON-68 glass does not appear to reach complete dissolution.  Leachate analyses and leached glass characterization via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and microscopy will be presented.  A forward rate for the AFCI glass via Single Pass Flow Through (SPFT) methodology has been estimated based on analyzed leachate Si concentrations using glass particles at 90�C and buffered leachant at pH 10.3.  Glass-ceramics are being corrosion tested from 7 days to over 1 year using standard Product Consistency Test (PCT) static powder methods with the inclusion of a small monolithic coupon in the leachate of each vessel.  Short and long term corrosion are investigated using leachate composition analyses and leached coupon and powder surface analyses.  Leachate analyses are facilitated with ICP-AES and ICP-MS.

Studies of the corrosion and long term behavior of glasses and glass ceramics for immobilization of defense nuclear high level waste and used fuel reprocessing waste

248th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.