New Solidification Materials in Nuclear Waste Management

Abstract

Abstract-One of the major worldwide environmental issue is the long-term storage or disposal of nuclear waste. Research in solidification materials for long-term storage of high-level nuclear wastes in nuclear industry has started as an imperative need. During the last decade, new solidification materials have been developed for immobilization of actinides and fission products for geological disposal. The materials used for immobilization generally have relatively complex compositions. The structure of these materials investigates using diffraction and spectroscopic methods. Most of the interest has focused on their chemical durabilities and capacity of waste loading. Their physical and chemical properties should not be degraded by -decay event irradiation from the incorporated actinides. The development of new materials either for storage or for disposal for a long time is still required. In this article, recent developments in the use of solidification materials for the immobilization of high level of nuclear wastes have been reviewed. The comparison of properties of solidification materials is summarized with several applications in connection with experience and technological needs in literature.

Nuclear Waste Management

“…%) to minimise waste volume, long physical and chemical stability, existence of natural analogues confirming long-term durability, resistance to ionising radiation and corrosion, chemical compatibility with a wide range of components and with other materials in contact, simple, safe, and cost-effective industrial-scale production, and the formation of a solid material that is easy to transport and store. 2,[37][38][39] The most commonly used immobilization materials for HLW include glasses, ceramics, and metal containers. For ILW, materials include glasses, bitumen, cements, geopolymers, high-integrity containers, concrete, and metal containers.…”

Investigation of the Thermal Properties of Alkali Metal Thorium Phosphates and Their Application for the Sorption of Uranyl Ion from Acidic Medium

“…have been extensively reviewed aiming to a possible alternative for immobilization of high level radioactive waste. [1][2][3][4] The major attractive properties like high chemical, thermal and radiation stability, low thermal expansion, conductivity and leachibility etc. make these materials suitable host matrix for immobilization of nuclear wastes.…”

“…Single and polyphase crystalline ceramics like monozite, britholites, pyrochlores, apatites, zircon, garnets etc. have been extensively reviewed aiming to a possible alternative for immobilization of high level radioactive waste [1–4] . The major attractive properties like high chemical, thermal and radiation stability, low thermal expansion, conductivity and leachibility etc.…”

Tailored Perovskite Waste Forms for Plutonium Trapping

“…However, this energy production has led to the generation of >90000 tons of used nuclear fuel in the U.S. alone. While some of this fuel can be recycled two or three times, resilient materials are ultimately needed that capture radionuclides for disposition in repositories, especially for plutonium. − A large variety of materials have been proposed for this purpose, chiefly borosilicate and borophosphate glasses. − However, an issue with utilizing vitrified waste forms for plutonium is that it has poor solubility in these glasses and tends to precipitate as PuO 2 inclusions, thus weakening the waste form itself and, more importantly, not becoming an integral component of the glass. − …”