The collaboration on technetium chemistry between Los Alamos and UNLV started by Al Sattelberger has produced a lot of interesting results.  This talk presents highlights of work on technetium separations for potential advanced nuclear fuel cycle processes and conversion of the technetium to corrosion resistant waste forms for disposal.  Technetium is a fission product of particular concern for disposal in a repository because of its high fission yield, long half-life, and high potential solubility and bioavailability in groundwater as pertechnetate.  As part of separations development work for the DOE Office of Nuclear Energy, the UREX process was studied that separates U and Tc from used nuclear fuel dissolved in nitric acid.  A useful anion-exchange process for separation of the Tc from the U in the UREX process product stream was developed and demonstrated.  Metal waste forms are under study as possible disposal forms for Tc and other fission products. The alloying of Tc is desirable to reduce the melting point and processability of the Tc-containing metal waste form and potentially improve its corrosion resistance.  The corrosion behavior of Tc and selected alloys has been assessed under a range of aqueous conditions relevant to repository ground waters. The corrosion test results were compared with theoretical modeling studies of the alloys and their dissolution reactions in aqueous solution to begin developing a predictive model of waste form dissolution.

Technetium separations and waste-form development for advanced nuclear fuel cycles

251st National Meeting (2016)

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